Make It Right
by teamlauren4eva
Summary: Lauren is in crisis and tries to push Bo away. Bo won't give up that easily. Alternate ending for ep 3x10 and beyond; the backstory is mostly canon, with a few revisionist reinterpretations thrown in. This is Doccubus all the way!
1. I Think We Need a Break

_..._

**Make It Right**

_Lauren: _You'll just make it worse.  
_Bo:_ **No, I'm gonna make it right.**  
_-Bo's mission in life,  
Lost Girl episode 2x03 Scream a Little Dream_

Author: TeamLauren4eva  
Fandom: Lost Girl  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: Bo/Lauren  
Rating: M  
Disclaimer: I own nothing, don't sue me.  
Summary: Lauren is in crisis and tries to push Bo away. Bo won't give up that easily. Alternate ending for ep 3x10 and beyond;  
the backstory is mostly canon, with a few revisionist reinterpretations thrown in. This is Doccubus all the way!  
Distribution: Sure, just let me know where and give me credit  
Spoilers: Up to and including the following dialogue from episode 3x10, _Delinquents_

Feedback: LOVE it! Please review! No outright flaming please. Constructive criticism is fine. BTW this is my first attempt at fan fiction. I don't know what possessed me. :P

A/N: Contains mature sexual content of two women in love. Move on if that's not your thing. Thoughts are in unquoted italics.

.

_"It's just I'm so tired, Bo. These last few years with the Fae,  
I… the Garuda…and Nadia….I feel like I'm losing myself.  
… I think we need a break.…I'm so sorry, Bo – but I think I'm  
always going to be asking for more than you can give to me."_

Bo felt her stomach lurch, as if Lauren's words had physically punched her in the gut. _This can't be happening, not like this._

Bo tried to swallow the boulder in her throat as a horrifying realization hit her. "All this time…Because I have to feed off others, all this time you've kept saying that you're not 'enough' for me, and I've been at a loss as to how to convince you that you are. But now I see that's not what you meant at all. What you really meant was that _I'm_ not enough for _you_."

Bo's voice cracked along with her heart as she looked away in shame. "I can't be human enough for you."

The nausea of guilt threatened to consume Lauren as the painful truth of Bo's words seeped in. _God,_ _how can I do this to her? _"No, Bo. I…" But the words wouldn't come. All she could do was close her eyes and allow the tears to fall and make a futile attempt to control her breathing.

Bo thought she was on the verge of passing out. She was shaking and starting to hyperventilate as tears silently streamed down her face. The urge to run was overwhelming. She needed to get out of that apartment before she suffocated. But somehow she stayed rooted to the couch. _Fight dammit. We can't let this destroy us. Whatever happened to love conquers all and all that crap? Shouldn't love be enough?_

Bo struggled to find her voice, but all she managed was a raspy whisper. "Baby, please look at me. I'm so sorry you're in pain. But please – can you grant me one request?"

Lauren knew that Bo would try to drag this out somehow, hoping to weaken her resolve. She had to do this while she still had the strength. "Bo, I…"

"No, please hear me out. Just give me one more day. You've just been assaulted and traumatized. Please don't make a major life changing decision while you're feeling like this."

"Bo I've been thinking about this for a while now. Waiting a day won't change things. It just prolongs the agony."

"I can appreciate that. But even though you've been thinking about it, today is the day you decided to say something. Today was the tipping point. And I'm _begging_ you to postpone that decision so we can concentrate on healing from this immediate crisis. Then will you be willing to have this discussion tomorrow? I mean really talk about it. I don't want to make this more painful for you, but please – don't I deserve to have something to say about all this?"

They just sat in silence while Bo listened to the deafening sound of her heart pounding in her ears. _Please say something._

A storm raged behind Lauren's eyes as she held Bo's gaze. _Dammit, why can't I say no to her? She's being so damn logical and it's going to kill me._

"Alright. One more day."

Bo exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding, causing her head to pound from the rush of oxygen. One day. She had one day to prepare for the fight of her life. But she couldn't punch, kick, stab or slice through this fight. She had to dig deep within herself and find a miracle.

Bo gently took Lauren's hand and brought it to her lips for a painfully soft kiss. "Thank you, baby. Thank you so much."

Lauren just silently nodded while staring at her lap. She gave Bo's hand a final squeeze before letting it go.

They sat in silence for several minutes, avoiding eye contact. It was Bo who finally broke the spell when she gingerly suggested, "Can I make you some tea? I'd like you to be able to relax tonight."

Lauren couldn't help but smirk. _Relax? Yeah, right._ "Sure, that would be nice."

Bo positively beamed as she got up to go to the kitchen. _Tea, ok I can handle tea._

A few minutes later Bo returned with a steaming cup of chamomile. Lauren was simply staring into space with a blank look upon her face. She snapped back to reality as Bo offered the cup to her with a tentative smile.

Lauren looked up at Bo and felt like she could just fall into the deep, still pools of her girlfriend's eyes. "Thank you, Bo."

Bo sank back into the couch and cautiously put her arm around Lauren's shoulders. "Is this ok?"

Lauren simply nodded, her voice having abandoned her.

Time stood still while Lauren sipped her tea. Bo just sat quietly, hoping to convey her love and support by just being present in the moment. No pushing, no pleading. Just sitting. And loving Lauren.

When Lauren was half way through her tea, Bo ventured to break the silence again.

"How about I draw you a bath and you relax while I go get take out? It's fish 'n' chips night at the Dal. Or we could do Chinese, Pizza – whatever you want."

Lauren took another swallow of tea and then gave Bo a small grin. "Sure, what the heck. Make sure Trick gives me extra tartar sauce."

"Ok, sweetie, you just enjoy the rest of your tea and I'll start your bath and call in our orders. Be right back." She pressed a quick kiss to the top of Lauren's head and then headed up the stairs.

Bo hadn't returned by the time Lauren finished her tea. Taking a deep breath, she pushed up off the couch and made her way upstairs. She found Bo sitting on the bed, calling in their dinner order. Bo smiled at her girlfriend as she hung up the phone. "Your bath should be ready. I added the lavender bath salt you like and lit some vanilla candles. I poured you some wine, and I also have an Enya cd ready to go, unless you think that's too cheesy."

Lauren looked at the floor and tried to stifle a smile, but to no avail.

"So, uh, you go relax and I'll pick up dinner, ok?"

"Ok."

Lauren turned as Bo was leaving the bedroom. "Bo?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Bo returned a wink and a smile and bounded down the stairs and out to her car. She took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. _Please don't let me mess this up._


	2. Panic

"Hi, Bo! Your fish 'n' chips should be ready in a few… ah, min…utes…Bo, what's wrong dear?" Once Trick looked up from the bar to see his granddaughter's face, he was startled by her red rimmed eyes and tear tracks staining her cheeks. He had never seen her looking so haunted and fragile.

Bo opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. As she stared into Trick's kind eyes, something broke inside her. More tears fell and her lips trembled, but her voice was lost.

"Come, let's go downstairs." Trick came out from behind the bar and placed a comforting hand on her back as he guided her to his quarters downstairs.

He ushered her over to the built-in sofa and then pulled up a chair so he could sit in front of her. "Just breathe and take your time. I'm here to listen."

"It's Lauren… I'm losing Lauren! Oh, god I think I'm gonna be sick." Sobs racked her body and she knew she was on the verge of collapsing. "I don't know how I can survive this!"

"Did you two have a fight?"

"Not exactly. But she's having a personal crisis and wants us to take a break. But I know I'm going to lose her forever unless I can fix this. She's in so much pain, Trick. She's having a nervous breakdown and I've been totally oblivious, wrapped up in my own shit. I couldn't even notice that she felt so broken and lost. The Fae, the years of servitude, Nadia, our relationship issues – it's finally all come crashing down on her at once and she's losing it! I've never felt so helpless in my life!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry Bo, I know that must hurt." He heaved a heavy sigh to gather his thoughts. "But it does make some sense. I can certainly understand that the last few years are finally taking its toll – I imagine she's been under an immense amount of stress since she's been with the Fae. But, uh – she's unhappy with your relationship? I was under the impression things were going well."

"Well that's what I thought too! But apparently I'm a clueless idiot. All the way over here I was racking my brain, trying to figure out where I went wrong. And it finally started to add up. My head's been too far up my ass to pay attention to all the ways I've been pushing her away. She even tried telling me we were out of sync after the Dawning and I just blew her off to run off to juvie camp with Dyson. And to top it all off, my feeding off others has been tearing her apart. She tried putting on a brave face about it and I was so happy to be let off the hook that I didn't notice how much it was hurting her."

Trick frowned sympathetically. "I'm sad to say I was afraid this would happen. There are just too many insurmountable obstacles for you two to have a successful relationship. Succubi simply aren't meant to be monogamous, especially with humans."

Bo jumped up in exasperation and started pacing. "God, Trick! I thought this was the part where you're supposed to give me a pep talk about improving my communication skills, but instead you tell me that the _love of my life_ isn't worth fighting for? Thanks so much for your support."

Trick sighed sadly. This wasn't helping. "You're right. That was insensitive and I apologize."

"Sorry if this is too personal, but…were you and Isabeau monogamous?"

Trick paused, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks and ears. "Truthfully, we weren't at first. We were in love, but she was used to feeding on more than one Fae to sustain herself. Actually, I'm sure she was accustomed to feeding significantly more than you, since she never had to worry about killing people. She was always so powerful, so full of vitality and strength. She was a force to be reckoned with." Trick smiled fondly at the recollection of his wife. "She wanted to be monogamous, and I know it upset her. It was hard for me too, but I knew what I was getting into. It was Isabeau's choice to, for lack of a better term, go on a 'diet.' But she had to reduce her intake of chi gradually. It wasn't until two years after we were married that we were able to be completely monogamous. But I know she was never again as physically powerful as she once was, and though it saddened me, it made me love her more for sacrificing so much for our love."

"Then I should be able to do this for her! With Lauren's injections I've sorta been on a diet. Maybe I just need more time for my body to adjust?"

Trick looked at his granddaughter with sympathetic eyes. "But Bo, no matter how hard you tried, you still wouldn't be able to reduce your need for sustenance enough to safely feed on only one human. Over the long term you would both become gravely ill; you from constantly starving and her from being repeatedly drained."

Crushed, Bo pulled her eyes away from Trick to stare blankly at the floor.

"But, uh… for what it's worth, you do make a valid point about communication issues. It's usually the root of almost any relationship conflict. Are you going to talk to her some more or has she already made up her mind?"

"She agreed to postpone 'the talk' till tomorrow so I can gather my thoughts, but I'm pretty sure she's just humoring me. I don't think she has any real hope. Trick, I only have one chance to make it right."

"Bo this just isn't something you can fix in one conversation. All you can do is prioritize the points you want to address and hopefully your first conversation will open the door to the next one. Just make sure you actually listen to her. And your conversation will be pointless unless it results in productive action. It's not about you saving the day by making the perfect speech."

"I know. But first she needs to know that I'm actually hearing her, that I'm finally paying attention. She thinks she's been shoved aside and when I really thought about it, she has every right to feel that way. For instance – I think she was hurt that she was shut out of all the prep for the Dawning – and don't give me any crap about humans can't be part of the process. We should be a package deal and you know I don't follow rules for the sake of tradition. I should have put my foot down and included her more, but I got swept up in everything and left her waiting on the sidelines. Shit – do you know I never even fully explained to her about that ridiculous wild goose chase I went on to get my Dawning invitation? I just kept saying, just give me another hour, just another hour! I missed her banquet and award speech and for all I know she thought I was just out getting drunk with Tamsin. Did I tell you about that? Right in the middle of our little adventure, I spontaneously became drunk for about an hour. I hadn't had anything to drink but I could actually taste that nasty-ass gnome nectar drink you made me try once. And of course Lauren calls me right when I'm mystically tipsy. God, I'm such an asshole!"

"Sorry, Bo – the cocktail was my fault. That infernal machine made me choose between food or drink. I chose drink and then it said least favorite. But look on the bright side. If I had chosen food, you might have had to eat imaginary haggis with blood sausage."

"Gross, Trick."

"Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood."

"The point is, even though she wouldn't answer my texts, I should have got off my ass, hunted her down and talked to her in person so I could explain what happened that day and why it was so out of my control. But I was a coward and just sent her a bunch of lame apology messages and left it at that – no more follow-through. That's why I was surprised that she showed up at the Dawning. Oh, shit – so I never told her that Tamsin kissed me! I was going to tell her, full disclosure, you know? But I conveniently let it slip my mind and after a while it was just easier to think it didn't matter. God I'm a terrible girlfriend."

"Wait, Tamsin kissed you?"

"Oh my god! Maybe Lauren found out? Why would Tamsin say anything? Is that what started all this? Lauren thought I was unfaithful? Dammit!"

"Wait a minute, back up! Tamsin kissed you?"

"Trick, it was _so_ weird! It was right after I won the shoot-out, or rather the shoot-and-stab out. Tamsin just runs over and plants one on me. Just out of nowhere! And she seemed to be just as shocked as me. I don't know what's up with that woman. We never spoke of it again. I guess I just wanted to pretend it didn't happen. Ugh…too bad I can't just blame _that_ on that stupid machine."

The color suddenly drained from Trick's face and he stared slack-jawed at Bo.

"What? …Hello, earth to Trick? I'm trying to rant here."

Trick swallowed hard. "Uh. You said it was after you won the duel? And Tamsin seemed shocked as well?"

"Yeah…why are you looking at me like that?"

"About that kiss…um…"

"Spit it out, Trick."

"When you won the duel, Stella and I got caught up in the excitement and we, uh…"

"You what?" And then it dawned on her. "Oh. My. God. You were making out with Stella while you were supposed to be playing puppet master for the scavenger hunt from hell? Shit."

"I'm so sorry."

"Well when I tell Lauren about that kiss and she's looking at me like I'm full of shit, you better damn well be there to back me up!"

"Of course. But she might not even know about it. You don't know if Tamsin said anything."

"Doesn't matter. I owe her full disclosure, and nothing less. And I sure as hell don't need her finding out from someone else. There's no hope for us if she can't trust me."

"A wise approach."

"Listen Trick, as much as I would love to sit here with you and plan my strategy and rehash everything I've done to screw up my relationship, I should get back to Lauren. I hope the kitchen kept our dinners warm."

"I'm sure Fergus has it warming in the oven for you. Go upstairs and I'll bring it right out."

"Thanks. Oh, and Trick? Make sure Lauren gets extra tartar sauce."


	3. Walking on Eggshells

When Bo returned, she found Lauren sitting on the couch, wearing a terry cloth robe and idly flipping through a magazine that she wasn't actually reading. "Hey, Babe. Sorry that took longer than expected. Did you have a nice bath?"

Lauren looked up and gave her girlfriend a genuine smile. "Yeah, it was nice. I really needed that. Much more relaxed now."

"Great. Glad you feel better. You want a beer with dinner?"

"Sure."

They ate quietly, occasionally indulging in some small talk. Sometimes there was mild tension in the silence, other times it seemed almost comfortable. They often exchanged little looks and glances, but there was no pressure to fill the empty air with conversation.

As she watched Bo clear the table, Lauren had no idea what would come next; she didn't even know what she _wanted_ to come next. All she knew was that she was emotionally exhausted and couldn't handle anymore deep thoughts tonight. She wasn't sure she wanted Bo to stay over either. She felt too conflicted and strung out for break-up sex. Or make-up sex, for that matter.

"How're you feeling, hon? Anything else I can get for you?"

Lauren smiled weakly at her girlfriend. "If it's ok with you, I'd just like to take some Tylenol and collapse in bed."

"Of course. Go make yourself comfy and I'll bring some up."

"Ok thanks."

Lauren turned to go up the stairs while Bo grabbed a bottle of water and a couple of extra-strength Tylenol from the kitchen. As she climbed the stairs, Bo's nerves came fluttering back with a vengeance. She knew she had to be prepared in case Lauren wanted to be alone tonight, but she feared she wouldn't be able to keep her composure if Lauren asked her to leave.

"Here's your Tylenol, babe. Sorry your head hurts."

Lauren nodded appreciatively and swallowed the pills, but didn't say anything.

"Lauren?" Bo waited a moment for her girlfriend to meet her gaze. "May I stay tonight – just, …just so I can hold you?"

Lauren briefly closed her watery eyes and exhaled before quietly murmuring, "I'd like that."

With a smile and a gentle nod, Bo silently changed into a tank top and boxers, but internally she was doing a victory dance, joyfully relieved that Lauren didn't send her away. She climbed into bed and snuggled close to Lauren, spooning her in a gentle embrace.

"Rest easy, love. I'll be right here when you wake up."

As Bo kissed her hair, Lauren sighed heavily and tightened her grip on Bo's hand that encircled her waist. It would be a long, sleepless night for Bo as she mentally prepared herself for the battle to come.

* * *

It was sometime around 4 a.m. that Bo thought she felt Lauren stir. She couldn't tell if Lauren was actually awake or not, so Bo stayed silent and just rubbed slow comforting circles over her girlfriend's abdomen. After a couple minutes she noticed that Lauren was trembling. Bo's heart ached as she finally realized that Lauren was quietly weeping into her pillow.

"Shhh…I'm here, baby. I'm right here. You'll be ok, I promise. I love you…"

For a better part of an hour, Bo continued to gently rock Lauren while whispering comforting words of love and devotion until she felt the tension in Lauren's body release and sleep claimed her once again.

By the time the morning sun filtered through the bedroom windows, Bo was still lying in the same position, having never moved while keeping vigil over her troubled girlfriend. Sometime during the night Lauren had rolled over to face Bo, while remaining curled up in her lover's protective embrace.

"Morning, beautiful," greeted Bo when Lauren made a few attempts to open her eyes.

"Hey."

"Did you get some good sleep? Does your head still hurt?"

"I do feel a bit better. But I think I'm gonna be hitting the Tylenol for a few days till this bump on my head goes down."

"A little Tylenol and TLC can work wonders. And I should know, my girlfriend's a doctor."

"Bo."

"Yeah?"

Lauren gazed into Bo's eyes and gently caressed her cheek. "Thanks. For last night. For making me feel safe."

Bo turned her head so she could kiss Lauren's palm. "Thank you for letting me." They shared a meaningful smile and then Lauren slipped out of bed and padded off to the bathroom.

"Lauren, sweetie?" Bo called after her. "Since psycho-boy redecorated your apartment to look like the giant baby mobile from hell, how do you feel about going out for breakfast and then hanging out at the clubhouse today?"

Lauren paused brushing her teeth, speaking around her toothbrush, "Good idea. I definitely don't need to be staring at that creepy shit today."

* * *

The day started pleasantly enough with cheap diner coffee, waffles, and small talk that conveniently avoided the questionable future of their relationship.

"I spoke to Hale while you were in the shower. He wanted to know how you were holding up."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you were doing as well as could be expected for someone who had been terrorized, assaulted, and had their home violated by a psychopath. I also told him in no uncertain terms that you wouldn't be going anywhere near the lab for at least a week. He didn't protest."

"Wow. Butch Bo. Kinda hot. I should make you call in sick for me more often."

"Sorry if it was presumptuous to speak for you, but I just wanted to help simplify your life for a few days. Unless you're in the middle of an experiment or something?"

"Surprisingly, right now I don't give a rat's ass about what's going on in the lab right now."

"Wow. Rebellious Lauren. Kinda hot." Bo was pleased that her comment produced a playful eye roll from her girlfriend. "So anyway, I'm supposed to go down to the cop shop for some final paperwork on the case. Technically the apartment is still a crime scene but as soon as it's released I'll arrange to get a cleaning crew to come in and remove the decorations from last night's festivities. I'll need one, two hours tops and then I'm all yours for the rest of the day. So are you ok hanging at the clubhouse till I get done? You could bring your laptop, or books, or watch a chick flick, bake brownies, take a nap, whatever. Kenzi is probably still passed out from her post-juvie booze binge."

Bo held her breath, hoping that she managed to sound convincing, considering she hadn't exactly told Lauren the whole truth. Hale had already arranged for a cleaning crew, and she didn't need to go to the precinct. No, Bo was on another mission. She had simply informed Hale that he would be canceling his morning appointments today because the Unaligned Succubus demanded an immediate audience with the Acting Ash to discuss an urgent matter. And 'no' was not an option.

"Sure Bo, that's fine. You're right, I really don't want to be alone in my apartment until it's back to normal. It's just, well, disturbing."

* * *

After getting Lauren settled in at the club house, Bo turned the Camaro towards the Dal and floored the gas. She aggressively flew through the city streets, miraculously hitting all the green lights on the way. Ever since the Dawning, Bo had felt a renewed sense of focus, a powerful clarity of purpose, and by god she was going to put it to good use, starting with Hale. _It's time to make it right._


	4. Make It Happen

With a determined air of authority, Bo marched into the Dal's banquet room and came to a stop in front of Hale's cluttered desk.

"I need your full attention Hale, because this conversation is long overdue."

"And good morning to you too Bo," Hale replied with an amused smirk. "Have a seat and tell me what's on your mind."

"Thanks, but I'd rather stand. How many of the inmates did you release when you shut down Hecuba?"

"Okaaaaaay. That's the emergency? Why is that important?"

"Please, just answer the question."

"um…I think it was 117."

"And why did you pardon them?"

"You know why."

"Humor me."

"Well, uh," Hale paused to clear his throat. "While investigating the prison's rampant corruption, we found evidence of extensive prisoner abuse and many inmates were being held past their release date, not to mention that most of the long term non-violent prisoners had been given inappropriately harsh sentences that may have been common in the dark ages, but have no place in a modern society. It was barbaric."

"And did you get any pushback from the Elders?"

"A few of them baulked a bit, but they eventually caved in the face of overwhelming and embarrassing evidence."

"And do you think making such a bold move helped establish yourself as a strong leader who stands by his convictions and who can bring the Fae into the modern age?"

"I'd like to think so, yeah. Bo, where is this going?"

"I just wanna make sure I have the facts straight. So you're saying that with a simple stroke of your pen, you cut through red tape, defied centuries of tradition, and you freed 117 women from bondage because their imprisonment was immoral, unjust, and in some cases fraudulent?"

"That about sums it up."

"Ok. Good to know. Now…" Bo leaned over the desk till she was just a few inches from Hale's face. She fixed him with a steely gaze and spoke slowly and deeply, with deadly seriousness. "…you are going to look me in the eye and tell me why Lauren is still a slave."

By Hale's wide eyes and stunned silence, it was clear that was the last thing he had expected her to say.

"Don't give me the deer-in-the-headlights routine, Hale. You had to have known this was coming the moment you were sworn in as the Acting Ash."

"You know it's not that easy, Bo."

"No, Hale, it really is. The only thing standing in the way is your cowardice."

"That's not fair."

"Under the circumstances, Hale, I don't think you have the right to lecture me about what's fair."

Hale turned his head away, avoiding eye contact. "It's complicated."

"Enlighten me."

"First off –"

"I said look me in the eye."

Hale took a moment to rub his face and pinch the bridge of his nose before slowly turning to Bo, his eyes suddenly looking tired and haunted. "First off, she still has a binding contract."

"Bullshit. The terms of her agreement were that she would have access to all of the Ash's resources so she could cure Nadia's illness. But it was all a goddamn lie. The Ash didn't fulfill the contract because he withheld information and failed to give her top clearance to the archives. Oh, and then there's that little fact that Nadia never had a disease to cure in the first place. Lauren was manipulated into that agreement and signed it under duress. Go ahead and check the contract and the Ash's journal. The curse and the deception are right there in black and white. Sounds like classic criminal fraud to me. That contract is null and void and you know it."

"But she recommitted herself to Lachlan," Hale pointed out.

"Again with the bullshit. She recommitted in exchange for Lachlan lifting Nadia's curse. But Lachlan didn't lift the curse – _I_ did. _I_ went to the Congo to meet the shaman. _I_ made the deal to go to Madagascar to retrieve the mask that healed him. _I_ pulled out the nail and released Nadia from her curse. Lachlan sold me some bullshit that the act had to be selfless so I couldn't tell Lauren about it, but he just wanted to take all the credit himself so he could manipulate her into volunteering her servitude again!"

By now, Bo was manically pacing back and forth while Hale wore an expression that was equal parts shame and shock. He could have sworn that he saw actual steam coming out of Bo's ears as she continued to rant.

"And another thing – do you even know if the Elders were in on all this, or was it the Ash's dirty little secret that he kept hidden in his journal? Do they know that Nadia wasn't actually sick? And what about the fact that the Ash of the Light Fae conspired with a _Dark Fae_ shaman to extort the doctor's servitude by kidnapping an innocent human and holding her hostage in a fucking coma for the rest of her life? Let's see, what do we have here? Fraudulent. Immoral. Overwhelming and EMBARRASSING evidence…"

"But there's also the fact that she's just human," his once assertive tone becoming almost whiny. "You know humans have no standing in Fae society, they're even lower than Fae prisoners. That won't change overnight and it would create a dangerous precedent regarding other claimed humans."

"Hello, what happened to strong leadership, standing by your convictions, defying tradition, ushering in the modern age. Sound familiar?" Bo made no attempt to hide her disgust. "And you think freeing other humans is a bad thing? As your friend I know that's not what's really in your heart. So I'm sorry to be so blunt, but it looks like we're back to cowardice."

Hale sputtered slightly, and then suddenly his eyes lit up smugly as he thought of the perfect 'gotcha' response. "Freeing that many humans is a danger to Fae security. It increases the risk of exposure. We can't police them all. And it would be tantamount to government seizure of private property, which would lead to a citizen revolt."

"Oh, for shit's sake… it's not rocket science. You don't have to start off by handing down some radical royal edict to free everyone all at once. And you can release the humans on a case by case basis after assessing their risk. Just set an example by releasing the humans owned by the government. Then later you can offer incentives to encourage private citizens to release their humans voluntarily. Then let the movement naturally grow from there. Just man up, Hale! Take a stand now and over time the culture will change."

"But Laur – "

"And you know damn well that Lauren is no ordinary claimed human. Despite the fact that the Fae have treated her like dirt for six years, took away her rights and her dignity, you know how much compassion she has for the Fae, not to mention the fact that she is currently _in love _with a certain Fae succubus. Hell, when she was helping me learn to control my powers, one of the first things she told me was 'the Fae aren't monsters.' You know she wouldn't risk exposing the Fae – she has dedicated her life to helping them regardless of the personal cost. Holy shit, Hale – she wiped out a fucking Fae plague before it could spread around the world. And that was right _before_ she was enslaved to cure Nadia. And after Lachlan died, she had the perfect opportunity to run, but she stayed behind and worked night and day trying to save his venom. You know, both Light and Dark Fae still come up to me and buy me drinks and congratulate me for slaying the Garuda. But here's the thing – I may have led the team to infiltrate the Garuda's lair, and I may have worn him down with my wicked sword skills, but the truth is the Garuda would still be alive if Lauren hadn't come up with viable venom. My god, Hale! Of her own free will, this 'lowly human' saved the Fae from total annihilation – twice! So enslaving Lauren of all people sounds mighty fucking _unjust_, doesn't it? Hey, there's that word again! The Fae should name a goddamn holiday after her!"

"But… you know the Light Fae can't afford to lose her. She's far too valuable." By the obvious lack of conviction in his voice it was clear that Hale was grasping at straws.

"Seriously? That's all you got? Well boo-fucking-hoo, Your Royal Acting Ashness! That's the cost of taking the moral high ground. It's a chance you'll just have to take. So grow a pair, Hale, you're out of excuses!"

Rumpled and clearly defeated, Hale slouched lower in his chair.

Bo let out a sigh of pity, as she finally sympathized with her friend's sensitive political dilemma. "Look, Hale, when – not if – when Lauren is _unconditionally_ released, I don't know what she'll want to do with her life. But it's for her alone to decide and I'll just be happy if she wants me along for the ride. But I do know this: despite years of putting up with the Light's bullshit, Lauren actually told me once that her work as the Fae's top doc and scientist has been 'professionally fulfilling' – so I have to wonder if going back to working with humans will be enough to satisfy that big brain of hers. So there may be a _slight_ _chance_ that she would be willing to stay on in her current position, minus the enslavement."

Hale seemed to grasp onto a little glimmer of hope. "You really think that's possible?"

"Well they say, never say never. But let me give you a little lesson on how the real world works. If you want to attract and retain the most qualified employee, you don't force them into slavery until they become a broken, useless, shell of their former self. Instead you woo them with the most kick-ass job offer you can possibly make: competitive salary, awesome benefits, reasonable hours. Hell, maybe even throw in a reserved parking space! Or a company car, or a pass-key to the executive spa, whatever. Go nuts. You just do whatever it takes to hold onto your superstar, because you can't afford to lose them to the competition. And if you can't convince them to stay, you just fucking get over it and move on."

Bo couldn't quite read Hale's expression, but he was clearly lost in thought. _Well let's hope that's a good sign. _She took a deep breath to collect herself. _Time for the big finish._

"And just to prove how highly motivated I am to see this through, I'll throw in a little extra bargaining chip to sweeten your deal with the Elders. If Lauren is released unconditionally AND if the Ash continues to provide her with protection against any and all Fae who would do her harm….then I will pledge my allegiance to the Light Fae."

Hale's eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

_Check and mate._

"So let's recap, shall we? Immoral. Unjust. Fraudulant. Overwhelming and embarrassing evidence. Strong leadership. Defying tradition. The modern age. You've already done it for 117 women you don't even know, Hale. And Dr. Lauren Lewis is a bona fide HERO. And she is your FRIEND. This is your chance to take that noble family clout that you've tried so hard to reject and put it to good use; you have a moral imperative to stop this insanity once and for all. So gather your evidence and make your case to the Elders. Stand by your convictions, secure your legacy and gain my allegiance. Save her dignity. Save her future. Save her life! Because if you don't, we're all going to lose her, one way or the other!"

Bo and Hale remained quiet and motionless as he contemplated the gravity of the task before him. After several uncomfortable minutes, the Acting Ash broke his silence.

"I'll see what I can do, Bo."

"No, Hale. Make. It. Happen."

As Bo triumphantly turned to leave, a small but affectionate grin sprouted on Hale's face. "The power of your Dawning looks good on you, Bo. You may have a future in politics."

With a sparkle in her eye, Bo spun around to face her friend. "Bite your tongue, Ash!"

"Or maybe motivational speaking!" Both of them burst into giggles, but Hale quickly regained his composure. "Seriously, Bo… I guess I really needed to hear all that. So thank you."

"More than welcome, my friend. Now go. Make it right." With a new sense of hope and empowerment, Bo quickly strode out of the banquet room and past the bar – tossing a friendly wave to Trick as he polished some glasses.

"Hey, Bo! Can I get you a drink?"

"Sorry, Trick. I gotta go see about a girl." And with a final wink, she disappeared out the door.


	5. Let the Games Begin

Outside the clubhouse door, Bo paced back and forth, breathing deeply and trying to psych herself up. She was still on an endorphin high since her confrontation with Hale. _Could it really be that simple? Give an impassioned speech and tell Hale to get off his ass?_ It seemed ridiculous, yet she felt oddly hopeful and confident.

She blew out a calming breath._ Time for round two of Operation Rescue-My-Relationship. Don't screw this up._

Bo entered the clubhouse trying to appear calm and casual, despite the churning of her acrobatic stomach. Lauren and Kenzi were on the couch watching Jungle Jeeves. Lauren just stared at the screen blankly, looking haunted.

"Hi, guys. Going on safari?"

"BoBo! My victorious Succubabe returns from the Garden Shears Smackdown! Now that you slayed the moss monster with your wicked lethal hairstyling skills, what're ya gonna do now? Please say Disney World."

Bo sadly glanced at her girlfriend, who still hadn't acknowledged her. She sighed and walked over to the fridge to get a bottle of water. "Not quite victorious, Kenz – so Disney will have to wait. Moss monster's psycho boyfriend showed up at Lauren's last night. It wasn't a pleasant visit."

"Holy Shitballs I knew it!" Kenzi jumped off the couch and followed Bo into the kitchen. She kept her back to Lauren and whispered fiercely. "Is that why Hotpants is so catatonic? I wanted to ask her about the cut on her head, but I thought I was gonna make her crumble into dust just from saying good morning. Why didn't you answer your phone last night? Not cool, dude!" She poked Bo's chest accusingly.

"Yeah. Sorry I should have called. But I had to deal with some important stuff after."

She didn't elaborate further despite the look on Kenzi's face that silently demanded more details. She called over to Lauren, "Hey babe, do you want a water or anything else from the fridge?"

"No thanks." Lauren had been squirming uncomfortably as she listened to the friends talk. She knew that Bo would want to bring her bestie up to speed with the latest crisis, but she didn't want to have to listen to it. She stood up abruptly. "I um…just uh, I gotta go to the bathroom." She quickly ran up the stairs, Bo and Kenzi helplessly staring after her.

"So what the hell happened?"

"Long story short, psycho Romeo redecorated her apartment, tried to kill her, and Dyson hauled him away. But that's the least of our problems now."

"What's going on BoBo?"

Bo's voice cracked forlornly, "Lauren and I are in trouble, Kenz."

* * *

After Bo relayed the cliff notes version of her relationship drama, Kenzi nodded sympathetically and left to go hang out at the Dal so the troubled lovers could have 'the talk.'

Bo climbed the stairs, each step heavier than the last. She found Lauren curled up on the bed, looking lost.

"Hey babe." Bo said as she sat down next to her girlfriend.

"Hey."

Bo reached out to softly stroke Lauren's hair. "You seem to be feeling worse than when I left you this morning."

"I'm sorry – I guess it's just too much time alone in my head. All the pain and confusion and fear just came rushing up again. And I know I owe you that talk, but I can't help but dread it."

"I know. It's probably gonna hurt, and I don't want to make it worse. But it means a lot that you're willing to hear me out. I love you."

With a sigh of resignation, Lauren rolled over and sat up, leaning back against the headboard. Bo ached for her girlfriend as she saw Lauren's watery eyes starting to overflow. She sniffled a couple of times and tried to compose herself. "So where do we start?"

"First things first." Bo crawled up to the head of the bed to sit next to Lauren. Then she reached for the box of tissues on the nightstand and placed it between them. "We're probably gonna need a lot of these."

Lauren chuckled through her tears and grabbed a tissue to wipe her eyes.

"Lauren, are you still in love with me?"

"Absolutely, Bo." Lauren choked out. "That's why this hurts so much!"

"And I'm in love with you. Hopelessly. Endlessly." Bo grabbed a couple tissues as her eyes started to sting. "Do you still want to be with me?"

Bo began to panic as Lauren stayed silent for several uncomfortably long seconds. Lauren took some deep breaths as tears began falling faster. She wiped her eyes with frustration and finally choked out haltingly, "Of course I do. I want that more than I've wanted anything in my life. But being with you comes with problems that won't let us stay together. Problems that I can't see being fixable. Bo, I just don't know if love is enough anymore. Everything is so messed up."

Bo gently held Lauren's hand, rubbing her knuckles soothingly. "The way I see it, as long as we love each other, then there's more right with us than there's wrong with us." She sniffed while dabbing her eyes. "You may think it's naïve, but I _know_ it's fixable. But I understand that for you… for you, fixing it feels too scary and complicated and futile; it's this huge daunting challenge and you don't feel strong enough to face it because everything…" She caressed Lauren's flushed cheek and gazed lovingly into her watery eyes. "It's all just…just _too_ _much_, isn't it baby?"

Lauren was briefly mesmerized by the compassion she saw in Bo's eyes. A new tide of tears welled up as she looked away and closed her eyes. She pressed her cheek more firmly into Bo's palm and then nodded her head in surrender as she choked on small vulnerable sobs.

"Life has been shitting on you for far too long, baby. And so much of it is so out of your control you can't see through the chaos to know which way is up. It's just – too much."

Lauren sniffled as Bo stroked her hair and tucked a blonde lock behind her ear.

"I didn't sleep at all last night. I just held you and did a lot of thinking. A _lot_ of thinking. And, as much as it hurt, things actually started to get clearer. So let me explain what I think _you're_ feeling, and you let me know if I get it wrong. Just so we start off on the same page."

"Ok," Lauren said timidly, blowing her nose.

"I figured out that there are three things that are making you hurt so much."

Lauren snorted. "Gee, only three?"

"Well, they're big general categories. But they all have to do with things you don't have power over and that can make a person crazy. First, there's my behavior, a.k.a. me being an idiot with a severe learning curve when it comes to relationships. Second, my succubus nature is getting in the way. Third, you are dealing with the accumulative insanity that comes from six years without autonomy, being subjected to cruel emotional abuse, and feeling hopeless and alone." She gently stroked Lauren's cheek. "You feel like the Fae have taken away a part of yourself and you don't feel whole. And it kinda makes sense that being broken like that makes you feel too weak and overwhelmed to deal with emotionally charged relationship stuff. And since you can't end your enslavement, the only thing you felt you could do to ease the pain was to end us."

Lauren stared intensely at Bo, her throat painfully constricted and tears leaking down her cheeks. _Could she really understand? She actually made it sound simple. Oh, Bo – why am I so lost?_

"Ok, keep going."

"But you see, baby – I don't think it works that way. Not when the people in question are still in love. Not being together might ease the complications, but it won't ease the pain. You're just trading one kind of pain for another. Don't you see – you just asked to take a break and now it hurts more than ever, doesn't it?"

Something broke inside Lauren. She turned and buried her face in Bo's shoulder, helplessly convulsing in loud, anguished sobs.

Tears streamed down Bo's face as she wrapped her arms around Lauren and squeezed her reassuringly, peppering her hair with light kisses. "Shhhh….it's ok. We're gonna get through this…" Bo rubbed Lauren's arm and rocked her gently until the sobbing began to subside to be replaced by sniffles.

"Are you ready to keep going, baby?" Lauren's head stayed on her girlfriend's shoulder, but Bo felt her nod. "So, there's Idiot-Bo stuff, succubus stuff, and life stuff. If we can just hang in there to work on the first one, then I know we can get the succubus to fall in line, and then maybe I could be the kind of supportive girlfriend that can be there for you to help cope and make the life stuff easier. Does that make sense?"

"I guess. But I'm just so overwhelmed and I don't know how to fix it and I feel like I'm losing my mind." Lauren sniffled.

"We go slow, one step at a time, together."


	6. It's Always Been You

Bo's loving, soulful eyes almost made Lauren dare to hope. "Ok. Just stop calling yourself an idiot." She chuckled lightly through her tears.

"How about clueless?"

Lauren rolled her eyes and lightly slapped Bo's arm. "Fine. Now talk."

"For starters, as much as I hate to admit it, the truth is that in terms of relationship skills, I'm still just a kid, a baby even. Lauren, I'm thirty years old and this is the only committed relationship I've ever had. And before that I've only had two years of sort-of dating-slash-sleeping around, since I killed everyone I slept with before I found the Fae. I've never asked before, but I'm curious – how old were you when you started dating and how many serious girlfriends have you had?"

"Well… I told you about Andrew, the jock that was supposed to take me to junior prom. That disaster was my first and last attempt with boys." She rolled her eyes. "That was my sophomore year. Then I had a girlfriend my senior year but we broke up when we went to college. I had two sort-of serious girlfriends in college and one in med school. There were a few others I dated but they never really went anywhere. I met Nadia during my residency, which was a couple years before I was sent to the Congo."

"So you've been dating since you were sixteen and you've had five girlfriends. So in comparison, you've had _way_ more practice than me." Bo nudged Lauren's shoulder with a playful grin. "On the one hand I'm so lucky that I found the person I want to spend my life with on my first attempt at a real relationship, but on the other hand I don't have any experience as to how to do it right so I might ruin it! I don't want this to be just a trial run that I experiment with before I move on to the next person. You aren't just some… _rehearsal_. I need to figure this out now!"

"You want to spend your life with me?" Lauren asked, incredulous.

"Well, yeah." Bo frowned. "You don't?"

"I guess it's something I've been afraid to even dream about. Besides, you _can't_ actually spend your life with me; my lifespan is but a blink of an eye compared to yours."

"Fine. Then I want to spend _your_ life with you. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. That needs to be filed under "succubus stuff" to be dealt with later, ok? Let's get back to focusing on me being an idiot."

"Bo you're not an idiot!" Lauren snorted, rolling her eyes through her sniffles.

"Yeah but I made you laugh, so that's something."

"Ok, fine. Back to relationship skills. I guess you have a point about not having much experience."

"I spent a lot of time thinking about how things started to go wrong and why I didn't realize it until we got to this crisis. And I'm ashamed to admit that I put our relationship on autopilot. I was so giddy in love, and I wanted everything to stay warm and fuzzy and simple and easy, that I let our relationship's bubble-of-bliss become this…this perfect little shiny thing that made me so happy that I carried it around in my pocket for luck – but I didn't take care of it so it got scuffed and tarnished. Like a kid who carelessly breaks their favorite toy."

"Another kid metaphor. You're gonna make me feel like a cradle robber." Lauren playfully poked her girlfriend as she reached for another tissue.

"That must explain why I like older women." Bo wiggled her eyebrows and Lauren rolled her eyes and blew her nose again. "So anyway…I wasn't doing my part to keep our relationship healthy; I just expected it to sit there and stay pretty and frozen in time. Sounds completely stupid now, but I guess self-awareness isn't exactly my forte. So throw that together with the temporary insanity of my devolution and the Dawning, and I've been obnoxiously self-absorbed. And I can't tell you how ashamed and sorry I am for that."

"Oh, Bo…I can't blame you for all of that. You shouldn't have had to worry about me and my fragile ego while you were going through something so major. If there's ever a good reason for a Fae to be self-absorbed, it's before and during the Dawning. And I tried to keep telling myself that it was irrational and unfair for me to blame you for focusing on your Dawning instead of me. It made me feel petty and selfish but I couldn't shake the feeling that you were drifting away from me."

"See, and that's what terrifies me."

"What?"

"That you thought you were losing me. When I started looking at the things I've handled badly, I finally saw what it must have appeared like to you: that I didn't think you were important enough, or that our bond wasn't strong enough to last, or that I wasn't really serious about us, and… . and when I realized that my immaturity made you feel that way, it made my blood run cold. It tears me apart that you thought you would lose me so easily."

"I can't help it. That's always been my biggest fear, and it never goes away – that I can't really have you. That it's temporary at best. That I'm not enough for you. That you're not really mine to keep. That you're meant to be with someone else. Someone Fae."

"You mean Dyson."

"Well, he's the perfect match for you, isn't he?"

"Why? Because he's Fae? Because he's a wolf and mates for life? Because he's a man?"

"All of the above! And because he's your first love, and because he's still in love with you."

"Ok, we definitely need to get this cleared out of the way once and for all and – wait, you seriously think gender is an issue? I only threw that in for comic relief."

"Well ok, that one's pretty trivial compared to the rest. But it's there. It's the universal secret fear of every lesbian who's in love with a bisexual. Always worried that the bisexual will leave when she gets bored and wants cock again."

"Sweetie, bisexuality isn't just for slutty straight sorority girls who only play around with chicks until graduation. A bisexual can fall in love with _either_ gender, but that doesn't mean that having _both_ is a requirement. Yes, in the past there have been some confusing on-again, off-again entanglements between the three of us, but trust me – it never had _anything_ to do with his dick."

"Yeah, I think I knew that. Like I said, I know it's irrational and it's not what really bothers me anyway."

"Ok so let's break this down. Dyson was the first person I ever slept with that didn't die. That in itself was a powerful revelation. And he was brave and noble, and I trusted him and he looked out for me. From a succubus point of view, I guess you could say he was like comfort food. But don't ever let him hear that!" Lauren chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"But he wasn't my first _real_ love. I loved him in that almost innocent, 'I'm going through puberty and just figured out that boys are cute and he is so dreamy' kind of love."

"So you're saying it was _puppy_ love?" The horrible pun hung in the air for a brief moment before both women doubled over in uncontrollable laughter.

"Oh god you are _so_ bad!" squealed Bo. Every time their laughter receded, they caught each other's mirthful eyes and burst into hysterics all over again.

"So does he lock himself in a kennel at night?" Lauren squeaked out between her convulsions of laughter.

"No, but he is house trained." Bo deadpanned. After several more attempts to compose themselves, their stomach muscles ached and their eyes were flooded with giddy tears.

"Oh my god, it hurts!" Lauren clutched her stomach while sucking in huge gasps of air in an attempt to control her laughter.

Bo grabbed more tissues and wiped her eyes. "I guess I walked right into that! But if you can joke about it, that must be a good sign." She paused to blow her nose. "Ok, so sure. It was the succubus equivalent of wolfy puppy love."

She tossed her tissue away and took a calming breath. "And I will be honest. For me, it has evolved into a kind of love that doesn't really have a name. Something deeper than friendship…I know I can trust him with my life, there's mutual respect and admiration…and I really care about his wellbeing and happiness. And despite our sexual history, he's family – like a brotherly affection – just without the creepy incestuous overtones. And I can totally understand why that would feel intimidating."

Lauren silently stared at her lap while continuing to wipe her eyes and nose. Bo gently pulled Lauren's hands into her lap. "Baby, look at me please…" Lauren slowly looked up at her girlfriend. Her vulnerable, splotchy expression momentarily took Bo's breath away. Bo softly squeezed Lauren's hands and found her voice.

"But it is still _so_ different than being _in _love. And I am without a doubt in love with_ you_. Our relationship has all the same qualities – except the brotherly part of course – but there is a level of emotional and physical intimacy between us that Dyson could never touch in a thousand lifetimes. Dyson and I fought by each other's side and we had raw passionate sex," Lauren instinctively looked away, but Bo lightly caught her chin with a finger and guided her face back so Bo could look in her eyes.

"…but you and I, baby, we're so much more. We share our hopes and dreams, our vulnerabilities, and protect each other's hearts. We can be epically romantic or just enjoy cuddling and being domestic. We can be comfortable sitting together in silence, and we will fight fearlessly and tirelessly for each other in all forms of battle. And yes, we have raw, passionate sex – and we can also make the most unbearably sweet love all night long. You, Lauren Lewis, are my first true love, and that will never change."

Lauren stared back in disbelief, tears cascading over her trembling lip and chin. Bo leaned in and gently caressed Lauren's salty, shivering lips with her own. She gently held the sides of Lauren's face and slowly deepened the kiss while her brow furrowed and eyes leaked from the aching intimacy of their connection.

Bo gently broke the kiss before they could get lustfully swept away. She continued to stroke Lauren's face and hair. "Do you know why I was so angry after our first night together?"

Lauren was momentarily confused by what she thought was a non sequitur. "Um, when I told you about the Ash sending me you thought you were being played."

"But there was more to it than that. I was angry because I was trying to cover up the fact that I was humiliated and utterly devastated. Because when I found out you were there on his orders, it made me think that our night together had been meaningless to you."

Lauren felt her throat constrict again, the shame calling forth another round of tears and sniffles. "I'm so sorry Bo! I know I handled it terribly. That night meant the world to me, and then I ruined it…"

"No sweetie, its ok, I forgave you a long time ago. I know now that's not how you really felt. But bear with me, I'm trying to make a point here. I'm just saying, that at the time, I was so crushed because…you see, as much as I didn't want to admit it to myself, all the while you were developing my treatments and helping me learn to control my power, I had totally fallen in love with you, but I was resigned to the fact that I'd never be safe enough to have you. And that night was the first time I had sex without feeding… and it changed me forever. After ten years of fucking, feeding, killing, and running, it was the first time in my life that I ever made love. Lauren, in my own succubus way, I gave you my virginity that night."

"Bo," Lauren gasped as a fresh wave of tears overflowed. She was unprepared for how moved she was by Bo's revelation. Pulling Bo into a desperate kiss, Lauren was shaking so hard with emotion she thought she might shatter. "Oh, Bo…oh, love" She whimpered repeatedly as she drank deep from Bo's lips, holding on for dear life.

Bo returned the kiss with equal fervor, luxuriating in the raw passion radiating from her girlfriend. Eventually their hungry kisses became more languid, and Bo eased away so she could look at Lauren again.

"I just wanted to make you understand how important, how dear, how irreplaceably special you are to me, and that you always have been. I love you, Lauren. And I need you to know that. To _really_ know that, and not doubt it. And I hope you'll let me try to make up for all the times I made you think I wasn't completely yours."

An infectious grin started to grow on Lauren's tear-stained face. "I think it's starting to sink in..." And with that she pulled Bo into another mind melting kiss. After several minutes it took every ounce of Bo's will power to prevent their kissing from escalating into something much more time consuming – and naked.

Pulling back to catch a well-deserved breath, Bo announced, "Now that we have re-re-established that we are hopelessly in love… we still have work to do."

Lauren sighed playfully. "I knew it was too good to last."

"Hey you know there's plenty more where that came from," smirked Bo. "But there's still a lot of ground to cover. And we're worth it."

Lauren swallowed audibly and took a deep breath. "Ok." She resettled herself next to Bo and leaned back against the headboard.


	7. Dawning Debacle

Author's Note: Hi everyone, thanks so much for reading and I appreciate the comments. I was shocked to see how many people were reading this so soon after I posted. Anyhoo, just wanted to let you know I updated the summary. I just wanted to clarify that although the backstory is mostly canon, some aspects of the past have been reinterpreted to fit the love story. It's not enough to be called AU, but liberties have been taken. So thanks again, and I hope you all continue to enjoy my doccubus fantasy. :-)

* * *

"We need to get back to talking about how we got here. About the things I've been doing or not doing that made things weird."

"Bo, you can't take all the blame. I know that most of this comes down to my insecurity issues."

"But my behavior has been feeding into it. So we both need to figure out how to avoid it in the future. When do you think we started getting out of sync?"

"It was actually my fault. I pulled away after what happened with Kenzi and the kitsune; I was so ashamed of what I did to you. As your girlfriend I should have been the one to listen to you no matter what, and I didn't believe you. Of all people, it was _Tamsin_ who believed you, and I left you locked in a cage."

"Sweetie I forgave you. It turned out that we were both right and we were both wrong. I was right about Kenzi, but you were right that I was acting weird and your blood test proved there was something physically wrong with me. We may never have caught the devolution in time if you hadn't run those tests. And I _was_ out of control and hysterical. You all probably would have listened to me more if I had explained my suspicions calmly and rationally, but for some reason I couldn't articulate beyond screaming, 'I just know!' Kenzi had been acting kinda detached and spacy for a while, and had said some un-Kenzi-ish things, but I _knew_ it wasn't her when I watched her scarf down noodles with peanut sauce – which should have immediately landed her in the hospital; she's deathly allergic to peanuts. So I freaked out."

"But Bo, even without knowing that, I still should have tested Kenzi to be thorough. The fake Kenzi would have refused, but then we would have at least known something was up. Bo, I know you forgave me… but I've had a hard time forgiving myself. The memory of you looking at me from that cage and telling me you would never forgive me – it just haunted me so much I started to shut down. So there I go again with the insecurity. But after that, it's like we could never catch a break. When I found out you had to go back to Grimley, I really wanted to come with you. I wanted to share that bonding experience with you, to get to know your past, and also try to reconnect after things had been so strained. But you didn't want me to come with you, and that hurt."

"And that was one of my big clueless moments. I'm so sorry, baby! I thought about it last night and I realized you may have really wanted to go. At the time I was so angry about facing my mom I just wanted it over with so I could get back to my training. So when I told you to stay in the lab and keep working on a treatment for my devolution, I was thinking practical strategy, not emotional bonding opportunities. But then I unexpectedly made peace with my mom and my past, and on the way back I wished that you had come with me, since it had been special after all. Although I'm glad you didn't have to tangle with Lady Polly and her sickle of daytime death. But I'd like to take you back some day. Maybe if all goes well, we can go to the Cherry Festival next year?"

Lauren smiled demurely. "I'd like that." Bo beamed with relief and pressed a kiss to Lauren's temple. Bo sighed and continued to stroke her hair for a minute before launching into the next point of discussion.

"We still need to talk about one of the biggest elephants in the room. The night I missed your award banquet. I know that I hurt you terribly and it must have confirmed to you that I didn't really care about or respect you. I was so ashamed that I just sent you a bunch of texts – which I don't blame you for not answering – when I should have sucked it up and tracked you down to speak to you in person."

Lauren looked down for a moment then sucked in a shuttering breath. "Yes, Bo. That really, really hurt." She swallowed hard. "I was so crushed that I didn't even go to the banquet. I just sat at home all night and got drunk. Then a colleague came by to drop off my award and invited me for a drink. I wasn't in any shape to have more alcohol, but I was so depressed I was willing to do anything to shut it off for a while." Her sad tone quickly shifted and she rolled her eyes. "And don't worry, he was a perfect gentleman."

"Oh baby, you didn't even go? God, and I thought I couldn't possibly feel any worse…" Horrified, she covered her face in shame.

"It's over and done with. We should just move on." Lauren had become unsettled from the painful memories and just wanted to leave it before she got more upset.

"I know it won't change that I hurt you, but I really need you to know what actually happened that day. Out of the blue Tamsin invited me to lunch," Lauren visibly bristled at the mention of the Valkyrie's name. "and apparently her idea of 'lunch' was a bloody mary at a Dark Fae bar. She said she had to warn me about the Dawning and that I was being lied to, that the Dawning was deadly dangerous and she didn't think I would make it out alive, blah, blah, blah. Like that was supposed to help me! Then these Dark Fae assholes started harassing me and started a fight. But there was this guy there who helped us escape and when we got out I thanked him and shook his hand and said I owed him one, at which point Tamsin yelled at me. Lo, do you know what a Spriggand is?"

"A Spriggand? …oh wait!" Lauren lit up in recognition. "You got trapped in a binding IOU didn't you?"

"Yeah and he demanded to call it in immediately. So I told him I had to get back to my girlfriend and he would have to wait. But no matter which direction I turned to get away from him, he just rematerialized in front of my face and wouldn't let me leave. He said he needed help rescuing this girl named Hannah who had been kidnapped and her powers were being exploited."

"Oh Bo – why didn't you just tell me when I called? I would have been really disappointed and upset you had gotten trapped by an IOU – but still, you were trying to rescue someone in trouble and I would have understood you couldn't get away. Why did you let me think that you just blew me off?"

"Remember I mentioned that I'm an idiot? The Spriggand kept saying that it would be over soon, and I didn't want to upset you since I stupidly kept believing him that we were almost done. I didn't want you to think that I wasn't coming, but by the time we rescued the girl it was too late. I was mortified. But the real kicker? It turns out that the entire surreal scavenger hunt from hell was an elaborate orchestrated trial I had to pass in order to earn my invitation to the Dawning!"

"Holy shit. You needed a damn _invitation_?"

"Talk about worst timing _ever_!" Bo groused. "It was so bizarre and ridiculous. I would come up against these stupid obstacles and I find out later that all the twists and turns were being controlled by this magical machine that Trick was operating. He had gotten sucked into this crazy-ass game and he was controlling my fate. Like at one point he had to feed the machine my least favorite drink and then all of a sudden I'm drunk and I had the disgusting taste of that gnome nectar elderberry swill in my mouth."

"Oh god. And I called you while you were drunk! I was so pissed…and it wasn't your fault."

"I'm so sorry that I was just too out of it to explain. On the other hand you probably wouldn't have believed me if I told you that while I was out with Tamsin I got drunk on imaginary alcohol."

After a brief pause, Lauren asked in a small voice, "Is that when you kissed Tamsin? When you were drunk?" She looked away, avoiding eye contact, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"What? But how did y –"

"Tamsin came by yesterday for the express purpose of telling me that you kissed her, and that it wasn't even to feed." Lauren slowly looked up at Bo with a pained and expectant expression.

"That _BITCH!_ And to think I called her one of the good guys. And I guess she was right, I do suck at reading people…"

"Are you saying she lied? It never happened?" Lauren asked with a tiny bit of hope.

"No! I mean yes! I mean yes, she lied – but no, we did kiss – but, but it wasn't like that!" Bo sputtered, with rising panic.

"Bo, you either did or you didn't," Lauren accused.

Bo took a deep breath. "I was planning to tell you, please believe me! Then everything just got fucked up and I never had the chance… ok, first of all, _she_ kissed _me_ – completely out of the blue! I just froze I was so shocked. And it was like less than two seconds, closed mouth, no tongue. We were both so surprised we didn't say anything and pretty much tried to pretend it didn't happen. So it wasn't my fault! Actually, it wasn't even Tamsin's fault."

"What's that supposed to mean? You said _she_ kissed _you_."

"It was actually Trick's fault!"

"You lost me."

"That damn machine that was controlling everything! I actually found out yesterday when I was talking to Trick and moaning about all the horrible things I'd done to mess up our relationship. And then he confesses that it's his fault that Tamsin kissed me. See, I had to fight in this stupid duel. When I won, Trick and Stella were so relieved and excited I was still alive that they got carried away and kissed each other. Trick was smooching Stella while he was supposed to be controlling the game! And that's the exact moment Tamsin kissed me. She was just as surprised as I was. But I just don't understand why she would go to you and twist the story just to be mean and cruel and – oh my god, you thought I cheated on you! And after everything that happened yesterday – god, no wonder you were a wreck! Oh, baby I'm so sorry! I never meant to hurt you!"

Bo frantically pulled Lauren into a desperate hug, kissing the side of her head while repeating, "I'm so sorry," and "I love you." Both lovers' eyes sprang leaks again as they clutched at each other, rocking back and forth.

"Oh Bo, I was so hurt and scared! I just knew I was losing you!" Lauren whimpered. "I shouldn't have taken her word for it. I should have waited to talk to you before jumping to conclusions. I'm so sorry, I was so stupid!"

"Shhh... its ok, baby. I love you. It was just one more thing in a long line of stupid stuff that made you doubt me. I'm so sorry you've had to go through all this. And Tamsin is _so_ going to regret messing with my girlfriend!"

"If it makes you feel any better, I slapped her."

"Oooh… I love it when you get all butch! Very hot."

Lauren giggled and started kissing Bo's neck. "Mmmm… maybe I should take up boxing."

Bo hissed in pleasure. "Oh, baby I would be more than happy to watch you do anything that makes you sweat."

Lauren continued kissing up Bo's jaw then murmured in her ear, "I'll be happy to take requests…" Bo moaned happily and captured Lauren's lips in an insistent kiss. Several endorphin-inducing minutes later, Bo once again reluctantly broke the kiss.

"Baby there's still something else I need to tell you, in the interest of full disclosure."

"Ugh! Why do you keep doing that when we're kissing! You're giving me emotional whiplash!" Lauren groaned in mock indignation.

"Sorry sweetie," Bo gave Lauren's lips a quick peck in contrition. "I just don't want to leave anything left unsaid, since it has a habit of coming back to bite us in the ass."

"Oh, this sounds fun." She took a deep breath. "Ok, hit me."

Bo took a moment to prepare herself for Lauren's less-than-pleased reaction. "During the Dawning, when we were in the metaphorical 'temple,' I kissed Dyson."

Lauren gaped at Bo, her expression equal parts appalled and defeated. "You put all this effort into eloquently convincing me you two are over, and now you tell me _this_? Is it any wonder that I'm insecure about your fidelity? What the hell, Bo?" She just looked away and shook her head, berating herself for her gullibility.

Bo gently grabbed Lauren's hands and held them tight. "Baby, listen to me. We were sucked into this elaborate hallucination where I wasn't me and he wasn't him. In fact, you, Kenzi, and Trick were there too, but you were all different people. It was so surreal. And you and Dyson practically swapped personalities – you were a cop and he was a sweet, nerdy doctor. It was like bizarro world!"

Lauren just stared blankly.

"You know, bizarro world? Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman had evil twins? Didn't you ever watch Saturday cartoons in the 80s?"

Lauren finally snapped out of it. "Yeah, uh… I got the reference. I was more of a GI Joe and Thundercats fan, myself."

"Oh my god, you were a total baby butch!"

"Hey, and I was damn cute, too!"

The tension broken for the moment, they burst into giggles, with the occasional snort and groan. Bo finally composed herself to bring them back to the subject at hand.

"But you know what? Dyson was the first to snap out of it and tried to convince me it wasn't real. He also figured out that he was the key to getting home and that I had to kill him. He finally forced me into stabbing him. I was so freaked out I could only pray that it was just another hallucination and he would be ok when we got out of the temple. So that added to my hysterics when we got back. I had just killed him! But I think that helped trigger my inner crazy super succubus so I could suck everyone's chi to save him. I guess I owe you and Kenzi an apology for that, since it hurt you humans so much more than the others."

Lauren looked absolutely horrified and barely managed to croak, "Oh god, don't apologize! Of course you had to save him!" Bo took a moment to scrutinize Lauren who seemed severely freaked out, but she let it go for the time being.

"So anyway, a lot of intense shit happened to us during the Dawning, and that in itself is sort of…intimate. So I confronted him yesterday. I was mad that he knew ahead of time that he was going on a one way trip. And despite his noble suicide mission, the kiss, and the other intense stuff we shared, I wanted to make it clear to him that I was in love with you. And he was actually totally cool. He said it wasn't some grand gesture to win back my heart, he just wanted to have my back and he knew that if necessary I would find a way to save him," She chuckled, "since you know, I don't play by the rules."

"No you certainly don't," Lauren admitted affectionately. "He bet on the right girl."


	8. What Is Enough

"Look, Lauren. I know he is in love with me. And I explained to you earlier that I have a special kind of un-nameable love for him that you shouldn't feel threatened by. Although I don't want him to be miserable, ultimately it's his responsibility to make peace with the fact that I'm with you. I don't know when or if he will move on completely, but at the very least he is an honorable man and wants me to be happy, and he respects our relationship. He will always be a very important person in my life, and I really need you to work on accepting that too so it doesn't keep eating at you. And I will do my damnedest to never let you forget that my heart is yours."

She looked hopefully at her girlfriend, looking for evidence that Lauren took her at her word and forgave her indiscretion during the Dawning. She needn't have worried; though Lauren looked weary, her watery eyes were full of tenderness. She leaned in for another kiss; it was sweet and relatively chaste, but full of hope and promise.

This time it was Lauren her broke away before it could escalate. "There's something I should confess too." She said with an apprehensive sigh.

"Ok sweetie, I'm listening."

"I'm so ashamed, Bo."

"Oh sweetie don't worry, you can tell me. I'm going to love you no matter what."

There was a long pause while Lauren's face became redder and redder and tears started falling once again. She took several deep shuttering breaths, but finally resigned herself to the fact that there was no calming her nerves and she would just have to push through the storm in her chest.

"When I watched you cry hysterically over Dyson's body and then sucked everyone's chi to save him, I felt threatened and maybe even slightly resentful. And when you saved him and I saw how you were so overcome with emotion, all I could think about was that you must still be in love with him. I was absolutely disgusted with myself for having those feelings. I mean, what should I have expected? For you to return and say, 'gee darn Dyson's dead. Come on home hon, let's celebrate.' I mean, _of course_ you were hysterical when you thought that he was dead. He's a dear friend; I've watched you get hysterical when Kenzi or Trick was threatened. And you are such a compassionate person you would have been upset even if it were a total stranger. But I just couldn't keep my jealously in check."

As Lauren's emotions continued to escalate, she finally couldn't hold back the sobs. She paused, grabbing handfuls of tissues and trying in vain to control her breathing. Bo could feel waves of self-loathing pouring off her distraught girlfriend. When Lauren grabbed more tissues to stem the tide of another wave of tears, Bo reached out to gather her girlfriend into her arms and guided her into her lap. "Shhh….don't cry…it's ok…"

"I felt so horrible for begrudging your saving his life. And now that I know that you were forced to kill him, I feel even worse. How fucked up is that? And I'm a doctor for christ's sake! It's not that I wanted him dead, I think I just didn't want _you_ to be his savior. And when you saved him and just held him and cried, I was so convinced that you had so much more passion for him than for me. And it's stupid, selfish, paranoid, hateful thoughts like those that were swimming around in my head, convincing me that we were doomed. Bo, I don't want to be that kind of person who is jealous and suspicious and constantly in fear of being abandoned. But with you I lose all reason and it just festers. I want to have faith in us, I want to be secure in our love. I'm so sorry, Bo. I need to figure out how to get over this irrational obsession because it's hurting us, and it's my fault."

"No it's not. Shhh…try to breathe sweetie." Bo stroked Lauren's hair as her girlfriend whimpered into her shoulder."

"God, what is wrong with me? Calm to crazy in 0.8 seconds!" Lauren exclaimed while blowing her nose.

"Oh baby, don't be so mad at yourself. I love you, Lo. It's gonna be fine. Look, yes it's true that your fear of me leaving has been affecting us negatively. But like I said before, a lot of little things have happened that just fed that paranoia, either by bad coincidence, or lack of communication, or both. And you've always been intimidated by Dyson, and even that's understandable. But I think the biggest factor is that deep down, you feel so inadequate as a human, and that is totally undeserved."

Lauren stared up at Bo and just blinked several times, her silence indicating she was lost in thought. She sniffled a few times and dabbed at her eyes, but simply waited for Bo to continue.

"Something you've said often is that you're not 'enough' for me. And it always made me so sad that you felt that way. I think six years of servitude to the Fae bigots has reinforced this idea that humans are inferior. It's a major reason why you feel so threatened by Dyson, because he can produce more chi than you. Fae aren't superior to humans, they're just different. Just because the Fae think they're better, doesn't make it so. And you know I'm a different kind of Fae – I was raised by humans, I walk in both worlds. I might be physically Fae, but my heart and soul are still human. Lauren, the very best part of me is my humanity, and that's just another reason that you are the best match for me."

Tears continued to stream down Lauren's face, but her expression slowly changed from sorrow to wonder as she was moved by Bo's declaration.

Bo continued, "Someone once told me, 'you are a perfect biological specimen of your kind.'"

Lauren sniffled and smirked as she heard her own words spoken back to her.

"And the same goes for you, baby, you are a perfectly imperfect human. And I love you as you are. You know, feeling inadequate because you can't provide enough chi by yourself is just as silly as feeling inadequate because you aren't able to grow crops and hunt and kill our own food. There's no shame in going to a restaurant or a grocery store! Feeding isn't an intimate act unless I feed from you. _You_ are what makes it special, not the chi. So while I may get my 'meals' elsewhere, when I'm with you I get fed a luscious snack – the chi equivalent of strawberries and champagne – and then we make passionate love. There is _nothing_ inadequate about that – it's beautiful. You will always be more than enough for me. Chi is just groceries."

Lauren wiped her eyes and blew her nose once again. "When did you get so wise and poetic?" She choked out with a teary chuckle.

Bo responded with a proud smile. "Maybe it was always in me, but it took the Dawning and the fear of losing my love to finally bring it out. But it's about time for me to grow up and be good for something besides kicking ass."

"Oh baby, you've always been so much more. And I love you."

Bo was surprised to feel the sting of her eyes watering again. "I love you too, Lauren. So much." She pressed an affectionate kiss to Lauren's forehead. "Listen, I have an idea. It's mostly symbolic but…" She fingered the Ash's pendant around Lauren's neck. "Whenever we're alone together, take off the pendant. To remind you that you are your own person no matter what others think, you are powerful, and you are dearly, dearly loved."

As Bo pulled off the pendant, Lauren's small emotional sobs returned as she was moved by Bo's words. Once again, the lovers met in a heartfelt, lingering kiss. Although unspoken, they each held in their hearts a new hope for the future.


	9. Snack Time

A/N: It's FINALLY time to take a little break from the emotional angst...and things are about to get sexy! :-) Thanks for reading!

* * *

For the next twenty minutes the lovers sat quietly on the bed, Bo propped against the headboard and Lauren cradled in her lap, the shared box of Kleenex between them; Bo gently stroked Lauren's arm and occasionally dropped light kisses on her forehead and hair. They periodically dabbed their watery eyes and wiped their noses. Eventually their tears stopped flowing and their breathing relaxed and fell comfortably into sync.

Bo was the first speak. "Hey, baby. How are you feeling? Better I hope… I'm sorry I made you cry so much today."

Lauren nodded and took a couple of deep breaths. "I'm actually starting to feel kind of peaceful, believe it or not. And no need to apologize for the tears. They're not all sad. To be honest there's still a big swirling mess of emotions in my head right now and I'm not even going to try to make sense of them yet. But I think it's been cathartic somehow."

"That sounds like a nice start." Bo lightly placed a finger under Lauren's chin and gently lifted her face so Bo could look in her eyes. "I know everything we've said doesn't magically solve our shortcomings or remove all our obstacles. I just hope you will give us a chance to work to strengthen our relationship. But there's no pressure to give me an answer right now. I know there are other challenges to talk about, but we've been at this awhile and we're obviously drained. But do you think this was worthwhile? Are we going in the right direction? What I'm really asking is if you think this is worth continuing tomorrow. Will you give us another day?"

Lauren's heart was ready to say yes, yes, absolutely. Yet she had spent so long convincing herself that a break was the right thing, she wondered if she was being too easily swayed by her emotions. They had addressed a lot of their issues, but there were still inherent problems being with a succubus over the long term. And despite Bo's perfectly reasonable and touching speech about feeding, she wondered if she could ever truly get over Bo feeding from others – and she was apprehensive about setting herself up for that kind of heartbreak in the future. She prided herself in always turning to logic first; but as she sat in Bo's lap, warring with herself for a good thirty seconds, she finally conceded that there really could only be one answer.

"Yes. Let's take another day."

Bo's smile lit up bright enough to stop traffic. She lovingly kissed Lauren's temple and gave her an affectionate squeeze. "Thank you, baby. You know I love you."

"And you know I love you, Bo." She lightly stroked Bo's cheek. "We just need to figure out if that's enough to get past all the roadblocks."

"Positive thinking, baby. Positive thinking!" And with that, Bo planted another playful kiss on Lauren's temple. "Lo, do you think we can get up soon? I have to pee and my legs are falling asleep."

Lauren let out an amused snort and rolled off Bo's lap, landing sprawled out sideways on the bed. "The bathroom is all yours." Lauren heartily guffawed as she watched Bo awkwardly staggering across the bedroom as she tried to get the circulation back in her shaky legs.

"Hey, don't mock my pain!"

"You know you love it."

A few minutes later she called as she came out of the bathroom, "Hey, babe? I was thinking, since we exhausted ourselves with the proverbial lesbian processing marathon …"

"Bo you're not a lesbian," Lauren giggled.

"Bisexual might be my orientation, but I choose to be in a committed relationship with the woman I love, so I am therefore, by definition, in a lesbian relationship. But I digress..."

Lauren rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's sheer adorableness.

"So anyway, I know this afternoon has been emotionally exhausting. And if you're feeling drained and brain-fried, how would you feel about coming out tonight and blowing off some steam? We don't have to if you're too tired. But if you're interested there's this Fae dance club in the warehouse district that's pretty cool. I've cruised for food there a couple times but I've always wanted to go with you sometime. The place is huge and it has three areas – the dance club, a laid back pub, and a nice lounge to chill out and talk. After today's emotional marathon, I'm not really interested in drinking, but I thought some physical activity to clear our heads might be good. We could get dinner first if you want."

"Hmmm…sounds suspiciously like a date." The mirth in her voice assured she wasn't offended by the offer.

"Maaaaybe," Bo smirked mischievously. "Just two hot chicks getting their groove on and relieving some tension. With no expectations for later. Although I wouldn't say no if there were some smooching. It'll be fun! And I really want to show you something."

"Intriguing…what is it?"

"It's a surprise, of course." Bo poked her tongue out to playfully taunt her girlfriend.

"Fine. Bring on the fun. How about Thai for dinner?"

* * *

Bo and Lauren quickly got sucked into the sea of gyrating bodies, yet they could only see each other. The blaring music and pounding bass reverberated through their chests, and it was so loud that even attempts at shouting were completely drowned out. With their voices useless, their only means of communication was body language, and their bodies were yelling loud and clear.

At first they danced separated by a few feet, moving sensually while exchanging smoldering looks – or as Kenzi called it, having eye sex. Lauren's mouth went dry as she stared at her powerful succubus working her magic. Undulating hips, provocatively running her hands all over her body, sometimes arms up, eyes closed, her fingers running through her luxurious hair.

Lauren was pulled from her reverie when an imposing wall of manliness grabbed Bo's ass and began grinding to the pulsing rhythm of the trance-inducing music. Lauren watched in horror as Bo, without missing a beat, turned around to face him while he continued his pelvic assault. She reached up and cupped the side of his face, sending a warm glowing pulse of succubus energy into his skin. _What the fuck is she doing? And right in front of me!_

Lauren was about to turn away in disappointment, when she noticed that Mr. Thrusty had suddenly stopped dancing and grinding, now frozen in place by Bo's thrall. Then Bo dismissively shoved him away with such force that he stumbled comically into the crowd and disappeared. Lauren was mesmerized as her girlfriend quickly turned towards her, Bo's hypnotic dancing oozing with lust.

With fire in her eyes, Bo danced and stalked toward her target; her breath hitched as she watched Lauren's arousal skyrocket, her blinding sexual aura growing white hot. She pressed herself snugly against Lauren's back, firmly bucking her hips against her girlfriend's ass. Bo slithered around to her front, keeping up her rhythmic grind and then paused to press her full length against Lauren, luxuriating in the feel of her girlfriend's breasts, pelvis, and thighs. Without losing eye contact, Bo grabbed her lover's hips, urging them to follow her lead as she continued to rock back and forth to the music.

By now Lauren was light headed and wondered if she might spontaneously combust from the aching throb in her crotch. Bo raised her arms, looped them around Lauren's neck, and pulled her head close enough so Bo could speak, moist lips pressing firmly to her ear.

"I only wanna dance with you, baby, and no one else. You look so hot tonight."

Lauren felt herself groan, though it was lost to the thundering roar of the dance club. Bo kissed and licked her way down Lauren's neck, who could only respond with small rapid gasps, that is, until Bo's lips and tongue captured her own in a crushing kiss. They finally stood still, holding each other tight as their mouths danced together in a sensual rhythm, and blissfully oblivious to the crowd around them.

When they finally came up for air, Bo took Lauren's hand and began slowly leading her through the pulsating masses, briefly looking back to give her a 'come hither' stare. Eventually they made it to the edge of the club and they turned down the short hallway leading to the restrooms.

Bo wasted no time pushing Lauren up against the wall. Lauren's heart raced even more frantically as Bo's hot breath teased her sensitive skin. Bo lightly dragged a finger across Lauren's collar bone before settling on the Ash's pendant around her neck. Since they were coming to a Fae club, Lauren had put it back on just to be safe. Bo looked into her love's eyes and gave the chain a firm tug. "We only belong to each other tonight, baby." She quickly pocketed the pendant and returned to hungrily kissing and licking her girlfriend's mouth and neck. "You feel so good, baby. So beautiful," Bo husked. As she firmly clutched Lauren's ass with one hand, Bo brought her other hand between them and began insistently massaging Lauren's breast through her shirt. Lauren continued to gasp and whimper throughout Bo's delicious assault, uncharacteristically not giving a damn that they were in public.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bo saw a man clad in denim and leather come strutting out of the men's room. She leaned in and whispered in Lauren's ear, "Now watch this, but don't freak out."

Lauren pulled her head back, looking confused. Bo just gave her a sultry wink and then her arm shot out and grabbed the man's hand as he walked by. She pulled him to their side of the hallway and Lauren watched with wide eyes and open mouth as Bo sent a pulse of orange energy into his hand, instantly stopping him in his tracks. Then Bo grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him toward her. Bo's eyes turned a familiar electric blue – and with only an inch separating her mouth from her conquest – she immediately began pulling satisfying gulps of ethereal blue chi into her mouth. Fortunately he was Fae, so she safely continued to drink her fill.

When she finished, she softly spoke to the blissful man held in her thrall. "Thanks for the snack. Now get lost and forget you ever saw us." She gave him a nudge toward the dance floor and quickly turned her attention back to Lauren. The entire exchange took roughly thirty seconds. Bo returned to kissing Lauren, starting slow and sensual and soon reaching a fevered pitch. They finally pulled back for some much needed oxygen.

Still panting, Bo breathily spoke into Lauren's ear. "I'm so glad you're here, babe. You're the only one who makes me hungry. It's all for you." Lauren's breath hitched as Bo resumed kissing her girlfriend's neck and jaw.

Lauren turned her head to do the same to Bo's neck and ear as she lightly murmured and moaned her pleasure. "You're making me feel so good Bo!" Bo insinuated a thigh in between her girlfriend's legs and encouraged her to bear down. Lauren was so painfully aroused all she could do was bury her face in Bo's neck and whimper, "Oh god, Bo! Oh baby I love you!"

Bo turned her head and whispered in lover's ear, "I love you too, babe. So much." Lauren gasped and started to grind harder on Bo's thigh. Then Bo pulled her leg away and took Lauren's hand. "Come with me."

Even without Bo using her thrall, Lauren was powerless to resist. Bo led her to the women's restroom and thankfully the large handicapped stall was empty. Bo pulled her inside and locked the door, and once again Lauren found herself pinned against the wall being ravaged by a hungry succubus. She only managed to utter a strangled, "Oh god" before Bo took possession of her mouth again.


	10. Hungry

A/N: This chapter definitely earns it's M rating. Mature sexual content, read at your own risk.

* * *

Lauren involuntarily began thrusting her hips when Bo returned to massaging her breasts. Whenever Bo released her mouth to kiss and suckle at her girlfriend's neck, Lauren clamped her eyes shut in concentration as she tried to control the volume of her moans and whimpers. At one point Lauren could only choke out "More!" and Bo was more than happy to oblige. She fumbled with Lauren's button-down shirt; twice she had to stop herself from ripping it open, knowing that torn up clothing would create an embarrassing challenge when it came time to leave. As soon as the shirt was hanging open, with all buttons intact, Bo kissed down between Lauren's breasts and was delighted to discover that her bra had a front closure.

After her bra was easily popped open, Lauren's breasts tumbled out into Bo's waiting palms. Lauren hissed at the sensation, then quickly shifted to moaning as her girlfriend expertly rolled and pinched her almost painfully erect nipples. She nearly howled when Bo replaced her fingers with her mouth and swirled her tongue around and sucked on the delicious buds of flesh, giving each breast equal attention.

With her hands freed up, Bo made quick work of the fly on Lauren's jeans, frantically pulling them down to just below her girlfriend's ass. Without preamble Bo thrust her hand into Lauren's panties and she immediately found her fingers drowning in her girlfriend's arousal. "Oh, baby you're so wet for me," Bo cried breathily.

"Bo, oh god!" mewled Lauren, taking in huge gasps of air as Bo used two fingers to rapidly circle around her inflamed clit. Between the inhalations of her desperate panting, Lauren rasped, "In…inside me…please…gaaah!"

Bo firmly thrust two fingers into her girlfriend. "Oh SHIT!" Lauren sobbed, while copious slick wetness dribbled over Bo's hand and down her wrist.

"You feel so fucking good baby. That's it, ride me good." Lauren's face became a grimace as she furiously tried to contain a scream. Suddenly Bo covered Lauren's mouth with her own and slowly started to draw out sensuous sips of her lover's chi; Lauren felt a sudden, rapidly expanding inferno burning in her clit, threatening to consume her completely. She knew she was going to come fast and hard.

As Bo kept up her rhythmic thrusting, she used her other hand to awkwardly start pushing Lauren's jeans and underwear down until they lowered far enough to just drop to the floor. Bo tapped Lauren's left leg and whispered, "Kick your shoe off and lift your leg." Lauren got the shoe off easily but had to spastically kick to get her foot out of the bunched up jeans. Once she was free Bo guided Lauren to prop her foot on the toilet, neither really caring about the germs.

Lauren groaned deeply as the new position opened her wider for easier access. Bo quickly knelt down and dove into her girlfriend's pussy, all the while keeping up with her finger thrusts. Bo was lost in sexual rapture as she devoured Lauren's clit and swollen lips, randomly switching from rubbing, to flicking, to sucking, savoring the wetness that dripped down her chin. Lauren's face was frozen in a silent scream as her hips matched Bo thrust for thrust.

Bo felt Lauren's standing leg tremble, so she used her free arm to press Lauren's hips firmly against the wall to give her more support for her impending orgasm. Without stopping her oral assault, Bo started curving her fingers, dragging them over Lauren's g-spot with each thrust. Lauren suddenly grabbed Bo's hair, clamping down hard, releasing a deep guttural howl as she finally exploded with an orgasmic convulsion so powerful her knee buckled. Bo used her free arm to support her ass until Lauren came down enough from her high for Bo to slip out and use both arms to support her lover. A minute later Lauren tapped Bo's head to signal that she could stand on her own. Bo brought her arms down to encircle Lauren's thighs as she held her cheek to Lauren's lower abdomen. Bo just rested there, breathing deeply of Lauren's aroused scent, blissfully content to just stay and hold her girlfriend.

Lauren finally tugged on Bo's shoulders, coaxing her to stand. Suddenly inflamed again, Lauren ravenously feasted on Bo's lips, tongue, and chin, savoring the taste of her own arousal coating Bo's face. Eventually the urgency cooled down and the lovers just held each other in a tight embrace while kissing languidly in the afterglow. Bo took a quick breath so she could murmur, "I _love_ kissing you with your cum on my face."

Lauren pulled back and gazed into Bo's eyes, which were brown again. "And I love _you_." She gasped.

Bo felt her eyes water as she returned the sentiment, "I love you too Lauren, you amazing, awe-inspiring woman. I love you too."

* * *

After putting Lauren's clothes back together and waiting for the women's restroom to be completely empty in order to avoid the embarrassment of the "walk of shame," the two lovers drifted over to the lounge for a relaxing drink. They opted for a simple wine spritzer; they decided that they should keep the drinking to a minimum since they were already wiped out. They found a nice empty corner with an oversized lounge chair where they cuddled as close together as possible without actually sitting in each other's lap. Lauren simply rested her head on Bo's shoulder as they quietly shared this simple intimacy.

"Lauren, since things are technically in limbo between us, I honestly wasn't planning on doing anything beyond feeding while making out with you tonight. I just wanted to show you that I could feed and still make the experience all about you. But I don't regret what happened, and I just hope that you don't either."

"Hush sweetie. We didn't do anything I didn't want."

Bo joined Lauren in a gentle kiss. "Baby, how about we head home so we can relax properly." Bo suggested.

"What time is it?"

"Only eleven thirty."

"My, aren't we getting to be fuddy-duddies in our old age." Lauren smirked.

"Nothing wrong with making time for snuggles before bed." Bo mentally slapped herself. "Oh, I wasn't presuming anything! I mean if you want to be together tonight? For snuggles. But it's ok if you want to be alone."

"Wow, the mighty powerful succubus can blush. You know you're cute when you stammer like a teenage boy."

"Aw, shucks Doctor."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes we can snuggle tonight.

"Your place or mine?"

"The clubhouse is fine."

* * *

Bo and Lauren lounged contently on Bo's bed; they had opted for simple camisoles and panties for their sleepwear. They took quiet pleasure in the simple joys of being boringly normal. It felt easy. It felt right.

"Lauren? How do you feel about what happened tonight? I mean before we went into the restroom. The, uh, feeding?"

Lauren paused for a moment. "I had no idea what you were planning, so I admit I was a little freaked when we were kissing and then you suddenly grabbed that guy. For a nanosecond there I thought you were trying to suggest a threesome!" They both giggled in mock horror.

"Oh my god! Trust me baby, I only want your sexy self in my bed." Bo laughingly protested. "But, it was something I wanted to try…the chi is always more potent and sustains me longer if one or both of us is aroused. He only got aroused a tiny bit from the thrall, but I promise it's nothing at all like sex. So I wanted to be aroused instead. I had no interest in being aroused by him, which is why I wanted to try with you there – so you could be the one to get me hot and bothered. I hope that was ok." Bo smiled sheepishly.

"Well, when I figured out what you were doing, and that I was sort of participating, I was afraid I was going to be creeped out. And then… I really wasn't. It was over so fast. And then you turned back to me and you made me feel so incredible. I'm surprised and a little embarrassed to admit that I actually liked watching you feed – even though you were drinking someone else's chi, I could feel that all your hunger and pent up desire was aimed just at me. It was quite a rush. And later, when you fed while making love to me, there are simply no words to describe how intense that was. You made me feel so sexy and so loved. And I can't _believe_ I actually did that in a public restroom!" She hid her face in a pillow, mortified by her audacity.

"Oh thank god. I was worried that you were going to be upset since you said once before that you didn't want to be involved in my extracurricular activities."

"I actually think it helped that you didn't tell me beforehand and just let me be surprised. So I didn't have a chance to overthink it."

"So, you were ok with that? You didn't feel like it was cheating?" Bo asked, both timid and hopeful. "You don't need to answer now if you need to think about it."

Lauren caressed Bo's cheek, moved by her sudden vulnerability. "No Bo, I don't need to think about it. That was definitely not cheating in any way. You completely blew me away. It was really special."

"Great!" Bo beamed with a delighted grin. "Then I'm definitely going to file away that technique for possible future use!" Bo looked at her girlfriend intently. "I have other ideas for our feeding issues that we can talk about tomorrow. But I just wanted to show you one option. I really want us to come up with more ground rules so you can feel safe and secure about my feeding and we both know what to expect."

Lauren shot her girlfriend a weak smile. "Ok sweetie, we'll talk more tomorrow." Tonight had been so wonderful, she had gotten caught up in the rush and thrill of it all. But now forced to think about the future, the bubble was burst. She agreed to hear Bo out – but she really didn't want to get her hopes up. Lauren knew tonight's type of feeding wouldn't be enough for a serious injury, which was exactly what started Bo feeding off others again in the first place. With a sigh of resignation, Lauren decided there was no point dwelling on what she couldn't fix. Instead she tried to invite sleep by focusing on the comforting feeling of having her lover by her side – while she still could.

After exchanging heartfelt kisses and I love yous, the two lovers, chastely entwined together, drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	11. We Need a Plan

A/N: Our favorite couple have worked on the relationship stuff, now it's time to face the succubus stuff. How can Bo be monogamous? Thanks for reading! :-)

* * *

The next morning, after another hearty diner breakfast, the two lovers returned to Lauren's apartment, relieved that there were no longer any signs of her attack. They were feeling bloated from having consumed way too many pancakes, so they lit some scented candles, and grabbed a blanket so they could relax and snuggle on the couch.

"I can't believe how much I ate!" Lauren groaned. "I guess after yesterday's emotional Olympics I was in need of some serious comfort food. But you really need to stop me before it gets this bad," she whined, smirking at her girlfriend.

"Sorry, can't rely on me, babe. I was just as out of control with my carb binge, so wasn't exactly thinking clearly." Bo chuckled.

"Mmmm… this feels nice. You want a little music to chill out with?" Lauren asked.

"Sure sweetie, go for it."

Lauren grabbed the stereo remote off the coffee table and soon the soft cadence of instrumental jazz wrapped the room in a warm glow.

"I think I could fall asleep to this." Lauren stifled a yawn.

"Go right ahead if you want to, baby. All I care about is being close to you. Who knows I might doze off too."

"Love you." Lauren sighed drowsily.

"Love you too, sweetie." Bo placed a sweet peck on Lauren's cheek as they slipped into a comfortable silence.

They stretched out on the couch, Bo spooning Lauren in a gentle embrace. Periodically she would stroke Lauren's hair, lightly kiss her neck, or rub loving circles over her stomach. Lauren drifted closer and closer to sleep as she responded to Bo's caresses with happy sighs and murmurs. Fifteen minutes later, Bo smiled contently when she noticed that Lauren's breathing was soft and steady, indicating that she was asleep. Within minutes Bo succumbed as well, drifting off in the soothing warmth of holding her lover.

Bo awakened a few hours later when she felt Lauren stir. Both groaned as they tried to sit up, their bodies achy and stiff from spending too much time on the couch.

"Oh shit. I have a nasty pinch in my neck," Lauren complained while rubbing her neck and testing her range of motion.

"Oh baby I'm sorry. Let me get you some Tylenol and I'll rub it for you." Bo cooed.

"Mmm… you'll never hear me say 'no' to one of your massages," purred Lauren, as Bo stiffly got up and trudged toward the kitchen.

"Her ya go, hon." Bo handed Lauren her water and painkillers and then climbed up and sat on the back of the couch behind her girlfriend, her legs framing Lauren's arms and shoulders. She gently stroked Lauren's shoulders and planted a quick kiss on her hair. Once Lauren placed her water glass on the table, Bo began to gently rub and soothe her girlfriend's sore neck and shoulders, gradually increasing the pressure as Lauren began to purr.

"Oh baby you are so good at that…" Lauren sighed happily.

Fifteen minutes later, Bo changed to light stroking again and asked her girlfriend, "Does that feel better, sweetie?"

Lauren tried moving her neck a little. "Mmm… much improved. It'll be even better once the Tylenol completely kicks in. Thank you, baby."

"You are most welcome m'lady." Bo placed a final kiss on Lauren's hair and then awkwardly climbed down to join her girlfriend on the couch. "To be honest, I still feel full from this morning's binge, but we can still go out for lunch if you're hungry."

"Actually I'm fine too. We can just wait and have an early dinner. I wouldn't mind a cup of tea though." She exaggeratedly batted her eyelashes at Bo, earning her an affectionate smirk in response.

Bo got up and headed back to the kitchen. "Your wish is my command," she said with a flourish.

Soon both women were relaxing on the couch again, quietly sipping their tea. Bo finally broke the silence.

"So baby, do you think you might be up to round two of the Girlfriend Summit?"

Lauren sighed slightly. "It's not exactly my favorite pastime, but if I could survive yesterday, then I can survive today."

Bo placed her empty mug on the coffee table. "Ok." She took a deep cleansing breath. "Sweetie, I know you love me, but the succubus has been getting in the way. I haven't been able to give you the kind of monogamy you deserve. You think you're not 'enough' for me and I feel like I can't be human 'enough' for you." She paused for a moment, then forcefully exhaled and pressed on with determination. "But honestly? We need to get over ourselves and just tackle the logistics and let go of all the stupid inadequacy issues, because they aren't helping the situation. So I think it's time to talk about 'succubus management.'" Bo emphasized with air quotes.

Lauren knew Bo wanted to talk about this, but she really didn't see the point. A succubus had biological needs and a long lifespan. That would never change, there was nothing to manage. The million dollar question was could Lauren learn to suck it up and deal, or would it ultimately pull them apart?

Bo continued, "but first I want to know if there are any non-succubus-related issues that we didn't get to yesterday."

Lauren searched her brain for a few moments but came up blank. "I can't think of anything now – yesterday seemed pretty comprehensive and exhausting. But if we are going to continue with the so-called lesbian processing, I reserve the right to bring something up later if I think of it."

"Ok it's a deal. So… yesterday you said things started to go wrong during the kitsune situation. But I think it was actually sooner than that. I'm sad to say we took a turn when I let Dyson heal me. And when you agreed to compromise and accept me feeding off others, I think it started undermining your trust and eventually it just hurt you too much. I know you tried hard to be supportive, but I think it just fueled your insecurity and the damage it caused to us just wasn't worth it. But I'm really touched that you tried so hard to cope with it. I just hope you know that I want to be monogamous just as much as you do."

Lauren's eyes started watering as soon as Bo mentioned Dyson. She was really going to hate this conversation. Bo leaned over to the end table to grab another box of tissues.

"But Bo, it doesn't really matter what we want. You need more chi than I can give you. It's as simple as that. And your speech about chi just being groceries was so reasonable and touching and makes so much sense and I'm so angry with myself that I can't get past this. I've been a terrible girlfriend!" Lauren choked out between sniffles.

"No, no sweetie…shhh… don't you think that for a minute! Guilt doesn't get us anywhere. Lo, you are a wonderful girlfriend and I am so lucky to have you. But I just hate seeing you beat yourself up like this."

"But Bo, I know it's so unfair of me! …I'm so ashamed that I let jealousy become more important than your physical wellbeing. My god, you were bleeding internally! How could I not want you healed, no matter who did it? I just hate myself for that. It's one of the reasons I was afraid we could never stay together. It's not fair to you and I was afraid my stubborn feelings would just end up tearing us apart!"

"Shhhh…it's alright just breathe baby." Bo wrapped her arm around Lauren's shoulders and pressed kisses into her temple and hair, hoping to calm her. "Listen baby, sometimes no amount of logic can change what the heart wants. I know you have insecurity issues, and I don't blame you for that. I love all of you, including your neuroses." Her last comment earned her an eye roll and embarrassed smile from Lauren. _Well that's a good sign._

Lauren dabbed at her eyes in frustration. "Bo, last night was really special, and it gave me some hope. But I also know that small feedings like that can't help if you're seriously injured."

"Well, I did say I have some ideas." Bo gave Lauren's shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

Lauren tried to rein in her emotions. _Why am I already falling apart? Stop jumping to conclusions and hear her out! _Lauren's voice was strained as she continued to sniffle. "Ok. I'm listening."

"Ok. I think where we messed up before is that we need more specific guidelines and contingency plans so nobody gets caught by surprise. I feel terrible about what happened with Dyson, but we hadn't really talked about what to do in an emergency. I didn't have a plan and I wasn't able to think clearly. I was in a lot of pain, I got scared, and I was close to passing out. Dyson saw that I was about to keel over, and I almost screamed when he lightly touched my side. He demanded to look and he saw that the bruise was enormous and so dark it was almost black. He said I was bleeding internally and he got scared. So was I, but I kept saying no, I'm monogamous. Dyson said there would be no strings, no confusing feelings, I just needed to heal. So I took the easy way out."

"But Bo, you had to! Your life was in danger!"

"No, Lauren. Dyson knew that I didn't want to cheat on you. He gave me a choice. He said it was him or an ambulance. But I panicked and I made the wrong call, and I've regretted it ever since. Is there…" Bo's voice cracked as her eyes filled up again. "Is there any chance you can forgive me?"

Lauren was stunned to learn Dyson offered an ambulance out of respect for their relationship. In that moment she realized how much she had misjudged him. She took a few moments to gather her thoughts before responding. "No, Bo, you didn't make the wrong call. There's nothing to forgive. It's wrong of me to expect you to go through the trauma of surgery and recovery when you could be instantly healed in a matter of minutes."

"Thank you, babe. I really do appreciate that, but…this is what I'd like to propose." She took a deep breath to compose herself and gather her thoughts. "If I'm severely injured, I will have both you and the Light's hospital on speed dial. When the ambulance gets me to the hospital, you gather up as many staff volunteers as possible to line up and offer me some of their chi – feeding without sex of course, so I'll need a lot more of it. If that's not enough to get me stabilized, or I become unconscious and can't feed, then I can have emergency surgery. Then instead of recovering over several weeks like a human, I can let you heal me at home over several days or a week or whatever it takes to do it safely. That way I stay faithful, our relationship is safe, and I would still heal way faster than a human." She held Lauren's hands up to her lips and kissed them. "Baby, this is a compromise I am more than willing to make."

With lips and chin trembling, Lauren just stared dumbfounded at Bo. Her breathing became labored as tears leaked from her eyes. Quaking with emotion, she suddenly reached behind Bo's head and pulled her into a bruising kiss. After a few moments she broke away because she couldn't stifle a sob. "Bo I'm going to feel guilty as hell if this happens. But until the day comes that I can get over myself, I'll take you up on your offer." She hugged Bo tightly and sniffled while she rested her head on Bo's shoulder. Without letting go, she whimpered, "You are the most incredible, loving, selfless woman I've ever had the privilege of knowing. And I love you."

Sitting side by side made it difficult to hug tightly, so as she did the day before, Bo guided Lauren into her lap as they continued to hold each other. By now Bo's eyes were brimming with tears, but they weren't sad, but hopeful. "I love you too, Lo. I love you too." She pressed her cheek to Lauren's temple. "As much as I love the flattery, I know I'm still a work in progress, but I hope you give me a chance to become the kind of girlfriend you deserve. I want to be all those things and more." Lauren clutched her girlfriend tighter and buried her face in Bo's shoulder.

After several quiet minutes, Bo asked, "You doing ok sweetie?"

"Yeah. Much better." She grabbed another tissue to blow her nose.

"We covered the worst case scenario, but I wanted to go over some other feeding stuff."

"Ok."

"I want to talk about different kinds of chi."


	12. The Handbook of Succubus Monogamy

"There are different kinds? You never mentioned that before."

"Well, different potencies is probably more accurate. I've made some interesting observations since I've learned to feed without killing. I actually feel kinda stupid for not figuring this out before. But I've put a lot of thought into this these last couple days and I think I've come up with a workable system.

"Ok teacher, I'm ready to learn." Lauren smirked.

"Ok I mentioned before, that feeding during sex is the most potent and long lasting chi. Both parties are highly aroused and I don't have to waste as much energy holding them in a thrall to keep them compliant. So Baby, I will do _everything_ in my power to reserve that experience for only you. The exception being if something totally bizarre or unforeseen happens, like I'm badly injured and stuck on a deserted island with a bunch of random Fae, or trapped in a caved-in coal mine or whatever." Lauren rolled her eyes and giggled. "Hey, I need to have some sort of escape clause if I'm facing eminent death. And if something weird does happen, I will be counting on you to work hard to be ok with it, and that we talk it out. No suffering in silence and building resentment."

"Deal."

"The next best chi is if at least one of us is aroused, either me or the uh, let's say chi donor." Lauren chuckled at the new euphemism. "Now, I get that if the 'donor' is turned on, the chi is more potent. But there have been a couple times I've grabbed a quick non-sexual 'snack' while I was on my way to see _you_ – which means I was horny to begin with." Lauren giggled as Bo gave her an extra squeeze. "I don't know how it works, but if I'm turned on and the donor isn't, it still makes the chi a little more potent."

"Maybe your arousal affects how the chi is metabolized, for lack of a better word."

"Oooh, the benefits of having a hot brilliant doctor for a girlfriend!" Bo gushed. Lauren chuckled in amusement as Bo kissed her forehead.

"So anyway, that's the kind of feed I had last night. I got my sexy on because of _you_, and the donor was only thralled enough to be happy and compliant. So, I will only engage in this kind of feed if you are there to get me worked up. Turning me on is a privilege reserved for you, ok?" She punctuated her promise with a sweet slow kiss.

"Deal." Lauren said with a smile; she could feel her insides fluttering with new hope.

"The weakest, least potent chi is completely non-sexual. I basically just grab someone, use a little energy to thrall them then just suck their chi and that's it. I don't even have to kiss them, I just need their mouth open a little. And obviously I don't have to use the energy to thrall them if they are helping me out voluntarily. Since it's not practical to take you with me all the time I feed – unless you really want to, but I figured you'd have better things to do – the non-sexual feed will be my main source. But since it's not as potent, I'm going to have to tap a lot of 'donors' to sustain myself. I can also use it for small injuries, or to partially heal a moderate one till I can get back to you to finish me up. So I might be out cruising for food a lot more often, but I swear that whenever I feed alone, it will not be sexual, except for the 'eminent death and trapped' escape clause, of course. Is that something you can live with? Can you trust me to feed only non-sexually when I'm by myself?"

Lauren felt like she was floating. "Yes Bo, I will trust you to feed without sex when you're by yourself." _This is going to work. I can feel it._

"Thank you sweetie, that means a lot." Infectious smiles were growing on both of their faces as they felt their hope swell. "Ok, I also have a Dyson question. Obviously sex with Dyson is off the table because sex with anyone other than you is off the table. But how do you feel about a non-sexual feed? Like if we're on a job and I need a quick boost to keep my energy up. If you're not comfortable with that, its ok and Dyson will be off limits completely. I just want to know where you stand."

Lauren thought for a moment before answering. "Bo, I realize that it should be perfectly reasonable for you to feed non-sexually off of Dyson, but I might need a little time to wrap my head around it. So I would appreciate it if you try your best to avoid that for now. I hope someday it won't be a problem for me. Let's just try to get used to these new ground rules first and see how it goes, ok?"

"Absolutely sweetie. So for now, no Dyson whatsoever, and we can revisit that in the future. Ok, so just to be clear, I have to know…" Bo swallowed hard. "If I follow these rules would you be able to, in good conscience, consider me truly faithful and monogamous?" Bo's voice suddenly grew timid. "If you need time to think about it, that's ok."

Torrents of tears streamed down Lauren's face, yet her emotions were bordering on euphoric. "Yes. Yes I think I can. I'm almost scared because it seems too good to be true. But I think it would work!"

Bo was momentarily surprised that her relief and elation suddenly caused a wave of tears to spill down her own cheeks. She squeezed Lauren tightly, pressing her cheek to her girlfriend's forehead. "Thank you. Thank you, my love!"

After a few moments of just holding her girlfriend tightly on her lap, Bo cautiously asked, "Lauren, what about the stuff we talked about yesterday? We cleared the air on a lot of misunderstandings, but it also proved that we have stuff to work on if we're ever gonna be able to make this work."

"Yeah, I know you're right. I guess I have a lot of homework to do to try and let go of some of my inferiority complex." Lauren said with a sheepish smirk.

"And I have got to freakin' pay attention so I don't reinforce those feelings. So, we both need more general self-awareness all around."

"Agreed."

"And we need to make it a priority that if either one of us feels neglected or alienated or have otherwise bad feelings, we have _got_ to say something before it festers!"

"Yes. Small but frequent lesbian processing is much better than marathon lesbian processing following an implosion." They both shared a small fit of giggles.

"So baby…are we calling off the break?" Bo shyly asked.

Lauren wiped her eyes and let out a loud chuckle as if to say 'you had to ask?' "Yes, Bo. No break…for now…"

Bo raised a single questioning eyebrow.

"It's just the cautious pragmatic scientist in me wants a probationary period!" They both chuckled hardily and Bo wasn't the least bit disappointed by her girlfriend's caveat, since she _knew_ they would make it work.

"But otherwise, yes, I think this is doable. I think it will work. Oh Bo, I'm amazed and so touched by how much thought you put into this, and I'm ashamed I was willing to give up so easily."

"Lo, sweetie, you've just made me so happy – so please, no apologies, no guilt! …Baby, look at me. I need you to hear me say this." Bo locked eyes with her girlfriend. "I am in love with you and only you. To the best of my ability, I promise that no one will ever touch my lips but you. No one will ever undress me but you. I will only feed non-sexually when I'm alone." Her voice began to crack. "And I will never make love to anyone but you. My body and heart are yours alone. You are all I want, and you're more than enough for me. And I love you."

Lauren's eyes began watering yet again as soon as Bo started reciting her promises, and by the time she finished with 'I love you' the tears were freely flowing and Lauren was trying to stifle small sobs. She reached out to pull Bo into a desperate embrace, and the dam finally broke.

In between fervent kisses Lauren simply whispered her mantra, "I love you, Bo. I love you, I love you so much."


	13. Outside the Box Part I

Early that evening, the newly revitalized couple was again snuggling on the couch as before, but this time there was an empty pizza box and some cans of soda on the coffee table. They had spent the last couple of hours just enjoying each other's presence, leisurely sharing kisses, soft caresses, and playful banter as they lounged.

"Hey babe, would you be interested in trying another think-outside-the-box feeding experiment tonight?"

"Mmmm…don't you mean think outside _your_ box?" Giggles and groans ensued in response to Lauren's terrible pun.

"You are evil!" Bo stuck her tongue out at her girlfriend. "And I love it."

"So what do you have in mind?"

"Well… I just thought about a creative way to charge up with the chi of a full-size sexual Fae feed, but within the rules of course."

Lauren was instantly anxious. "But I thought one of the rules is you only get the sexy extra potent stuff with me." She couldn't hide the confusion and disappointment in her voice.

"Ok you technically have a point, in regards to the potency of the chi. And you're perfectly free to say no, there's no pressure at all. But my suggestion is within all the other rules, just with emphasis on creative. I get the health benefits of the good stuff, and I get to make mad passionate love with you, and no having sex with someone else."

"Ok you lost me."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course. I'm just confused."

"I think it might be better to approach it like last time. Let me surprise you so you don't think about it too much ahead of time. Just follow my lead, and if you get uncomfortable just say the word and I pull the plug. Ok?"

Lauren laughed good naturedly, "Should I be worried?" but Bo could hear the hint of apprehension in her voice.

"This will be a bit different, maybe a little weird… but same rules still apply. No one touches me, no one sees me naked. I don't touch anyone except to thrall them. And I'd also like to remind you that the high potency chi will make me extremely…" She started placing wet kisses up and down Lauren's neck. "…horny. And it will _all_ be just for sexy… hot… gorgeous… _you_."

Lauren's breath hitched as Bo's kisses gave her delicious shivers. "Mmmm…Ok…hey, wait a minute – nobody's going to touch or look at _me_, are they?"

Bo smirked with a twinkle in her eye. "Of course not baby, you're all mine." And with that she grabbed Lauren and pulled her into a reassuring kiss.

"And again the horny succubus is full of surprises."

"_Your_ horny succubus."

"Damn straight! Oops, bad choice of words."

"You dork!" Bo chuckled. "So listen, I need to run an errand to make some arrangements for tonight. But we'll start with a simple evening out at the Dal. The surprise comes after."

"Arrangements?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

"You realize the suspense is gonna kill me, don't you?"

Bo winked and smiled mischievously. "Yep."

* * *

Lauren knocked back her second shot of tequila and set the glass down on the bar while sucking on a wedge of lime. She swiveled, hopped off her stool, and stood with her back to the bar so she could rejoin Bo in scanning the crowd at the Dal. "So what are we looking for tonight?"

"We need a couple."

"Two-for-one special? Kinky."

"You've been in a playful mood tonight. Kinda hot, actually."

"Are you saying I'm usually boring?" Lauren smirked as she pulled Bo's hips toward her and leaned in to tease her neck with kisses."

Bo hummed as she closed her eyes in pleasure."Mmm…never."

Lauren gave her girlfriend an affectionate peck on the lips. "So, I know you want to have Fae tonight, but are you sure we want to be getting our freak on in your grandfather's bar?"

"We're just here to pick up the snacks. We're taking the party elsewhere."

"Snacks? That's the new code word?"

"It sounds nicer than prey and more fun than donor."

"Good point. But I thought you wanted a full meal tonight, not a snack?"

"Ok, you win Ms. Semantics. Donors it is. So…how about those two?" Bo indicated across the room to an attractive young couple chatting alone. The dark haired man was ruggedly handsome and his dress shirt and vest complemented his muscular build. His bleached blonde companion, with her flawless hair, makeup and clingy dress, looked like nothing less than a supermodel. Bo smirked to herself. _Probably a nymph._

"You're sure this isn't a group sex thing?"

"No sweetie. Just keep an open mind, ok?"

"Since you actually know what we're going to do, you choose."

"By the looks of their auras, they're pretty hot for each other, which is exactly what we need. Follow me, babe."

Lauren followed Bo as she sauntered over to the corner table where her soon-to-be 'donors' sat huddled in flirty conversation. Bo discreetly walked behind them and placed a hand on each of their necks and sent several pulses of warm energy into them, putting the couple instantly under her thrall.

"Hi guys. You two make a cute couple. How long have you been together? Or did you just meet?"

They both turned and dreamily looked up at Bo. "Tonight is our six month anniversary!" Replied the blonde as she sighed happily.

_Perfect_. "Aw! That is so sweet. It must be our lucky night. Now, the two of you are going to come with the two of us," Bo gestured toward Lauren. "And we're going to make our own party tonight. Come on, let's go."

Bo gave them one more pulse before she walked towards the door, Lauren and the happy couple trailing after her.

Lauren caught up with Bo as they stepped outside the Dal. "So what are we doing? And where are we taking them? I really don't want strangers at my place or yours."

"No worries. Already taken care of. We need to go get a cab."

"Why? You have a car."

"Parking is way too expensive where we're going."

"Okaaaay..."

The quartet walked down the alley to the main street and within a few minutes they hailed a cab. With four people it made for a crowded drive; the young blonde woman was practically sitting on her boyfriend's lap.

"Where to?"

"The Eaton Chelsea."

Lauren gaped at her girlfriend. The Eaton Chelsea was the largest hotel in downtown Toronto. _We're going to a hotel. With two strangers. To feed a succubus. What the hell did I get in to?_

Bo could feel Lauren tense up, so she squeezed her girlfriend's hand and whispered, "Trust me."


	14. Outside the Box Part II

Mature sexual content. Read at your own risk.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Lauren was on the verge of hyperventilating when Bo ushered the group into their upscale hotel room. It was comfortably spacious and decorated with burgundy and gold tones and the bed linens were clearly of high quality – but Lauren didn't notice. Her heart stopped when she saw that the room had two double beds.

Alarmed, she quickly pulled Bo aside and urgently whispered, "Bo what are we _doing_?! There's two beds! I'm not having sex in front of these people!"

Bo gently stroked Lauren's arm, trying to calm her wild-eyed girlfriend. "Sorry baby, I didn't mean to scare you. All the single king beds were booked. Don't worry, nobody is going to watch us make love, I promise."

Lauren swallowed hard and tried to collect herself. _What the hell is she going to do with them? Make them watch porn? Ugh, straight sex. I can't believe I agreed to this_. She was so nervous and confused but she willed herself to slow her breathing and just trust her girlfriend. She walked over to the bed on the far side of the room and sat down, looking away from the others and trying to pretend that the strange couple wasn't there.

Bo turned to their two companions and raised her hands to caress both of their faces, sending them a soft pulse of energy. "You two are going into the bathroom and you can't leave until I let you out. There's a cd player and condoms on the vanity. You're going to turn up the music and then you're going to fuck each other's brains out." Bo smiled wickedly. "And you're not allowed to come until I tell you. Now, you lovebirds go have fun."

The amorous couple grabbed each other in an urgent, clumsy kiss and stumbled into the bathroom as Bo shut the door behind them. Soon the increasing volume of the music's pulsing dance beat muffled the noise of passionate moans and the bangs and knocks of flailing limbs and grinding hips.

Lauren stared flabbergasted at her girlfriend as Bo turned and glided towards her, hips swaying seductively. Lauren couldn't decide if she should feel relieved, turned on, or just fall over laughing.

Bo encircled her arms around Lauren's waist and gave her a gentle kiss. "Hey baby. Are you doing ok? You're not too freaked are you?"

"I'm not sure. You were right, it's a little weird. And funny. And kinda hot."

"Are you ok to keep going? I can throw them out if you want."

"No I'm ok." After a brief pause Lauren jumped up with as much confidence as she could muster and pulled her girlfriend tightly to her, firmly grabbing Bo's ass. "Let's do this."

Bo sucked in a sudden breath and sighed out, "Oh god I love you." They clashed in a feverish kiss as Bo threaded her fingers through silky blond hair and massaged Lauren's scalp. Bo kissed and licked her way up Lauren's jaw and purred into her ear, "Don't worry, they won't interrupt us. Now I'm gonna make you so hot and dripping wet that you'll forget all about them." Without warning Bo firmly pressed a hand over Lauren's crotch while slowly licking her ear.

"Oh shit!" Lauren cried out in aroused shock. Bo captured her mouth in a fiery kiss and continued to rub firm insistent circles while pressing hard into the thick seam in the crotch of Lauren's jeans.

Rapid, high pitched gasps poured from Lauren's mouth as Bo broke the kiss to continue her oral assault down her girlfriend's throat, her hand never letting up pressure between Lauren's legs.

"You like that baby?" Bo cooed. Lauren couldn't form words, only able to squeak out "Uh-huh" as she continued to pant.

Keeping her hand in place, Bo pulled back slightly and encouraged, "Take your top off, baby."

Without hesitation, Lauren whipped off her blouse, revealing a black lace bra. "You are so fucking hot," Bo rasped, as she quickly returned to kissing down Lauren's neck into the valley between her breasts. She latched onto a breast, sucking and nibbling through the black lace while she massaged the other with her free hand.

As Lauren kept grinding down on Bo's insistent hand, she wasn't sure how long she could remain standing. She strained to form words through the haze of lust. "Need…bed… need…skin."

Keeping her mouth and hand on Lauren's breasts, Bo commanded, "Unhook your bra for me." As soon as the bra hung loosely from her girlfriend's shoulders, Bo released Lauren's breasts and quickly tossed the garment away. She dove back in and alternately nibbled and sucked Lauren's hard nipples.

"Gah…Uuuuuhn! Oh god, Bo, yes! Yesss…" Bo could feel a slick pool of hot lust seeping into her own panties as Lauren's cries of pleasure tickled her ears. Lauren softly whimpered in protest when Bo pulled her hands away from her crotch and breast, but it was quickly replaced with a joyful moan as Bo roughly unzipped her jeans and dragged them down her legs along with her panties.

As Bo stood up again, Lauren started kicking her way out of the crumpled jeans while grabbing hold of Bo's form-fitting tank top, quickly ripping it over her head. Lauren yanked up Bo's bra to expose her breasts, a shock shooting straight to her clit as she squeezed and fondled Bo's luscious flesh and stroked and teased her nipples.

Breathing raggedly, Bo threw her head back in rapture as her girlfriend tended to her oversensitive nipples. Lauren stared as Bo ripped her bra the rest of the way off and then gasped as she watched Bo's brown eyes shift to electric blue.

The hungry succubus backed her lover toward the bed, quickly tugging the comforter aside before she gently pushed Lauren onto the bed, then kicked off her shoes and furiously peeled off her pants, revealing a red thong. Lauren eagerly sat back up, dragged off the thong and buried her nose in Bo's pubic hair, inhaling deeply.

Bo gently held Lauren's head to her body for a few moments. "Lay back, baby."

Lauren leaned backwards and started scooting toward the headboard. Bo quickly crawled after her, till she hovered over Lauren's beautifully flushed body. Both lovers groaned loudly as Bo finally lowered herself and they lost themselves in the euphoria of full body contact. Bo moved one of her legs so she straddled her girlfriend's thigh and pressed into Lauren's mons with her own. Bo started rocking her hips, eliciting more joyful vocalizations from Lauren. Their breasts rubbed together deliciously as their tongues dueled in a scorching kiss.

"You are so fucking gorgeous. So hot," Bo husked between kisses. She trailed her tongue wetly down Lauren's neck and then sucked gently when she reached her shoulder. "Mmmm…and so yummy."

Lauren clutched desperately at Bo's back and ass as they continued to undulate languidly. "uuuuuh…ahh…oh god Bo, you feel _so_ _good_ on top of me."

Bo continued to thrust hypnotically into Lauren for a few more minutes. Bo licked her lover's lips, captured her tongue and sucked, earning a trembling moan in response. She shuffled down a few inches so she could take a throbbing nipple in her mouth, reveling in the moans and gasps she elicited from her girlfriend. After giving both breasts thorough attention, Bo released a nipple with a small pop, then gazed up at Lauren, blue eyes glowing.

"You hot and wet for me baby?" Bo asked, though judging by the slick wetness smeared on her thigh she already knew the answer.

"God yes! I'm going to explode!" Lauren whimpered.

"Just hold on to that babe. Our guests are probably about to pop so we need to take a quick break. Keep the fire burning for me."

Lauren panted while she whined, "Gah!...god, Bo, are you trying to kill me?"

Bo giggled and placed a playful kiss on Lauren's nose. "Come on baby, time to get up." She gently rolled off her lover and stood up to grab two white terry cloth hotel robes that were draped over the other bed. "Put this on sweetie. Don't want to give the love birds a free show."

Lauren sat up, loudly inhaling gulps of air. "Give me a moment. I'm not sure I can stand yet!"

Bo chuckled as she handed Lauren a robe. "God you're adorable. And did I mention hot?"

"Charmer." Lauren stood up on shaky legs and wrapped herself in the fluffy robe. "So what's next?"

Bo slipped on her robe, but left it open. "Time to visit the buffet." Lauren snorted and rolled her eyes. Bo gently took Lauren's hand. "Come over here, lover."

Lauren's arousal and her trust in Bo outweighed her trepidation as she followed her lover towards the bathroom, the sounds of frantic sex growing louder as they approached. Bo guided her to stand by the wall directly in front of the bathroom door.

Bo pressed into Lauren and captured her lips and tongue in a searing kiss.

Bo pulled back to gaze lovingly at Lauren. "You know I love you?"

Lauren replied with a lusty smile. "Of course, Bo."

"You know I want you and only you?"

Lauren grinned and stole a steamy kiss. "Yes, baby."

"I'm going to open the door and then I want you to watch me feed. You don't have to if seeing the humping love bunnies makes you uncomfortable, but if you can ignore them, I want us to look at each other while I feed, just focus on my eyes." Bo took Lauren's hand and guided it between her legs. Lauren groaned as her fingers dipped into the slick, overflowing pool of desire gathered there.

Bo's breath hitched as Lauren slowly stroked her. "You feel that baby? Feel how wet I am for you? That's what you do to me. I want you to watch me feed so you can see how hungry I am for you. How I burn for you and only you."

Lauren was shaking with ravenous lust while listening to Bo whisper in her ear. "Ok I will… god Bo, the things you do to me… Go feed, baby. I love you."

With a final hungry kiss, Bo stepped back and closed her robe and tied the sash. Before she could turn away, Lauren caught Bo's eye and with a sexy smirk as she brought her glistening fingers to her mouth and lasciviously licked and sucked Bo's musky elixir off of them. Bo's eyes flashed brightly as she stood mesmerized by the erotic display, which in turn caused Lauren's arousal to flare even more in response. With a seductive leer, Bo winked and turned toward the bathroom door.

Lauren held her breath as the inside of the bathroom came into view. The bleached blonde was sitting up on the vanity, dress pushed up to her hips and her thighs spread wide. The top of her dress was pulled down to expose her bouncing breasts. Her boyfriend, with his pants around his ankles, tightly held her in place as he vigorously thrust into her. He obviously was struggling with Bo's command not to come until she gave permission, since his face was frozen in a painful grimace. The blonde was rhythmically wailing as her lover pounded into her.

"Hi, guys. Keep going, don't let me interrupt." Bo walked around to the other side of them so she could look past them to stare back at her sexy girlfriend in the doorway. "Do you wanna come now?" They were unable to form words and just strangled out a desperate affirmative cry.

Lauren gaped at the scene before her. _Holy shit. I can't believe I'm actually watching this._ She quickly snapped out of it and trained her gaze on Bo, who was intensely staring back at her with glowing eyes. Bo mouthed "I love you" and Lauren felt a burst of warmth spread through her. Bo leaned over and turned the blonde's head to face her, never breaking eye contact with Lauren.

"Come for me." Bo's eyes flashed and she started drawing the potent sexual chi from the blonde as she trembled and shrieked out her orgasm. Bo's eyes glowed brighter and brighter as she breathed in the heavenly blue vapor. Lauren froze in rapture as she watched her lover feed. She was astounded and painfully aroused as she watched this divine creature absorb and radiate pure sexual power.

As the blonde started to come down from her peak, Bo pulled back, still holding Lauren in her sight, and turned the boyfriend's face toward her. "Come for me." He let loose an almost painful howl as his hips pumped faster and more frantically into his girlfriend. Lauren watched in awe as Bo started taking larger and larger gulps as she sucked the chi into her mouth. She was transfixed as Bo's eyes grew impossibly brighter as she fed. Lauren was so helplessly aroused she was afraid her legs would give out.

Bo pulled away and provocatively licked her lips as she stared at Lauren. Without looking away from her girlfriend, Bo placed a hand on the shoulders of both limp, spent lovers and sent them a pulse of enthralling energy. In a slightly deeper voice she commanded, "Get dressed and leave. Now. Enjoy the rest of your date, and you will forget that you were ever here."

As the lovers scrambled with their clothes, Bo slid past them and stalked toward her girlfriend, eyes blazing with lust. Lauren could feel herself dripping down her thigh when she fell into Bo's arms and was captured in a ferocious kiss. When they broke for air, Bo impatiently called over her shoulder. "Hurry up. Get out now." The couple stumbled out of the bathroom, still adjusting their disheveled clothes. Bo held open the room door and shoved them into the hallway.

Bo pushed the door shut and whirled around to face her girlfriend. "Now, where were we?"

Lauren lunged at her girlfriend, ripping Bo's robe open while slamming her up against the door. Bo roughly untied Lauren's robe and forced it off her shoulders while they devoured each other with desperate kisses. They aggressively rubbed their sweat-slick bodies together, their arousal exploding with the incendiary friction.

Bo easily picked Lauren up and pinned her against the adjoining wall. Lauren wrapped her legs around Bo's waist and locked her ankles together, using the leverage to thrust and grind against Bo's abdomen. Pressing her girlfriend hard against the wall for maximum support, Bo removed one of her hands from under Lauren's ass and brought it between their bodies. She pushed and wriggled her hand down until two fingers were tightly wedged in Lauren's pussy.

"Ride, baby. That's it, oh baby you're so beautiful." Bo panted, driving her hips forward to give her hand more thrusting power. Clutching Bo's shoulders in a vice-like grip, Lauren cried out in ecstasy as her thighs squeezed around her girlfriend's waist, pumping back and forth as Bo fucked her.

As Lauren's breasts bounced wantonly with each thrust, Bo hungrily leaned in and captured a straining nipple, sucking hard. Lauren gasped loudly, grabbed her girlfriend's head and held it tightly to her breast as Bo nipped and tugged at her swollen erect flesh.

The lovers rhythmically thudded against the wall with each thrust. "Oh god…oh god…oh god, Bo…" Lauren chanted, continuing to bounce up and down as Bo supported her with one arm. "Need…need…need more!" Lauren croaked.

Lauren was impossibly wet and dripping, so Bo easily adjusted and thrust three fingers back into her girlfriend, using her thumb to firmly rub her clit. "Here ya go, baby."

"Oh, _GOD_!" Lauren wailed. "Gonna come, baby…oh god…gonna come so hard…don't stop, don't stop!"

The thick smell of sex and the squelching sounds of her fingers feverishly pumping into Lauren's sopping pussy were making Bo delirious with animal lust. She panted heavily and gazed up at her enraptured girlfriend with flaming blue eyes.

"Oh, _FUUUCK_! Oh god…Unnnnnnhn! Com…coming…gah! Now…f-feed baby!" Lauren howled as a monstrous orgasm thundered through her electrified body. Bo leaned in and drew out her lover's intoxicating chi as Lauren shrieked and moaned unintelligibly through her climax.

Bo stopped her feeding with a wet, lingering kiss, sensually stroking and sucking Lauren's lips and tongue. Bo's body hummed, infused with new sexual energy. She gently slipped her hand out of her lover and brought it around so she could cradle Lauren with both arms. Lauren leaned over and collapsed on Bo's strong shoulders, taking in huge gulps of air as she trembled with aftershocks.

"Shhhh….I got you, I got you." Bo soothed as she nuzzled into Lauren's neck. "I love you babe." She felt Lauren softly stroke her back and place feather light kisses along her shoulder and neck. Bo became concerned when she heard Lauren sniffle. She was still breathing heavily but it gradually turned into faint little sobs. "Are you ok? Sweetie what's wrong?"

Lauren sniffled and the sobs slowly turned to giggles. She pulled back to look at Bo. Her eyes were brimming with tears, yet they were shining with mirthful joy. She dropped short, sweet kisses all over Bo's face. "Oh god I love you."

"You ok, babe?'

"Wonderful. Incredible. Just _ecstatic_, baby. I…I don't know why I'm crying." She chuckled and sniffled through her tears. "It was just so intense – sexually and emotionally." Bo's smile lit up with happy relief, her soft brown eyes looking at her girlfriend in wonder.

"My god, Bo. I never knew 'wall sex' could be that amazing! And damn, you're really strong! Don't your arms hurt?"

Bo's eyes sparkled as she chuckled, "Benefits of fresh chi. You ready to move away from the wall, baby?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Ok lean in to me and hold on tight."

Bo stepped away from the wall and effortlessly carried Lauren to the bed, laying her down with reverent care. She gently covered her love with the comforter, turned out the lights, and then slipped into bed from the other side.

Lauren sighed blissfully as she relaxed into Bo's loving embrace. "You, my darling succubus, are the most breathtaking, heart-stopping, mind-blowing lover imaginable. And as soon as I regain control over my higher motor functions, I'm going to rock your world!"

Bo giggled and sighed contently, despite her own raging arousal. "You already did, baby." She snuggled in closer to Lauren, encouraging her to nuzzle into Bo's neck and shoulder. Bo pressed a gentle kiss into Lauren's adorably mussed hair. "Rest now, love."


	15. Outside the Box Part III

Mature sexual content. Read at your own risk.

* * *

When Lauren slowly came back to consciousness, she tentatively stretched her limbs, finding that she pleasurably ached all over. The digital clock on the nightstand told her that she had only been asleep for about forty-five minutes. She noticed that Bo was sound asleep, but since her bladder was calling, Lauren got up as quietly as possible to make her way to the bathroom – the BATHROOM! She dreaded what she would find in there leftover from their 'donor's' escapades.

She cautiously turned on the bathroom light and squinted for a few moments. She briefly looked around and breathed a sigh of relief – no used condom lying around. The toilet lid was still down, perhaps a good chance it wasn't used; she didn't remember ever hearing it flush. As she was about to sit down, she peered into the trashcan_. Yep, there it is. Gross. At least they threw it away._ When she was finished she stood up and that's when she saw it: a hot pink thong draped over the bathtub faucet. _Could have been worse_. _Deal with it tomorrow. _

When she entered the room again she could see by the moonlight that Bo was awake, propped on her side and looking straight at Lauren.

"Hey sexy." Bo purred in appreciation.

"Well hello, sleeping beauty."

Bo giggled adorably and turned on the wall sconce above the bed. "Oh baby, you are such a vision. I could stare at your succulent body forever."

Lauren chuckled. "I'm sure it won't be much to look at in twenty years so you might want to revise that statement."

"Hey, I'm being romantic and sappy here. The proper response is 'why thank you, lover. You're looking delicious yourself.'"

Lauren stalked toward the bed, in all her glorious nakedness. A newfound sense of sexual confidence came over her as she tossed back the comforter to reveal Bo's sensuous nude body. "Why thank you, lover," she leered. "You're looking deliciously _fuckable_ yourself!"

Bo's eyes widened in surprise; at the same time a surge of electric heat shot straight to her clit. "My, my, doctor. What's gotten into you?"

"As I recall it was three of your fingers." She declared with a wicked smile. She climbed up and knelt on all fours at the foot of the bed. Bo rolled over onto her back and propped herself up on her elbows to watch what her girlfriend would do next.

With a carnal stare aimed at Bo, Lauren began crawling up the bed like a prowling animal. She continued over Bo's legs and stopped once she was straddling her girlfriend's abdomen, her ass sitting low on Bo's pelvis. Bo held her breath as she took in the stunning view of Lauren's thighs spread wide as she began grinding seductively; she impressively remained balanced and upright providing a feast for Bo's eyes.

Bo just stared in rapture. _Oh my god she's going to put on a show._ She reached down and grasped Lauren's hips firmly and started rocking her own hips in time to Lauren's thrusts. Bo felt the familiar ache in her groin surge with every thrust. They just stayed there quietly grinding and staring at each other as they began to pant.

Lauren started rubbing her hands all over her body, throwing her head back as she fondled her breasts and tweaked her nipples. Bo had never seen her this sexually forward before; she was utterly entranced by Lauren's wanton performance. Lauren smiled in satisfaction as she watched a pink flush bloom throughout Bo's body and her nipples stood at attention as her breasts slowly swayed to the rhythm of Lauren's hips.

Bo breathed deeply as the unmistakable scent of Lauren's arousal wafted to her nose. She also noticed an increasing slipperiness that was the result of Lauren's wetness being smeared all over Bo's hot flesh. The panting was escalating, accompanied by soft grunts and murmurs.

Bo was the first to break the silence. "My god, baby you are so amazingly beautiful. You're making me so wet… you feel so _good_!"

"That's the idea, lover." Lauren rasped between pants.

Bo whimpered when the pressure inflaming her clit disappeared as Lauren moved to change positions. She slid off of Bo's pelvis and put both her knees between Bo's legs and then sat up in a kneeling position.

"Bend your knees up, baby." Bo complied and then Lauren pushed her bent legs up toward her abdomen as far as they would go, and then gently pressed them to the sides, encouraging her lover to spread her thighs as wide as comfortable. Bo groaned heavily as she felt the cool air on her heated pussy as it was gently spread open by the odd position.

Lauren lightly stroked Bo's pubic hair, causing her to hiss in pleasure. Lauren seemed determined to prolong the torture as much as possible. And Bo was totally ok with that.

"Baby, your pussy's so beautiful. So wet and open." Lauren cooed while she continued her light stroking.

"Oh god." Bo had never heard her reserved girlfriend use such language like that and the eroticism made her clit throb even more. _When is she going to touch me? I can't take it anymore._

"Ok baby try to hold that position." Lauren began crawling up, until her face was even with Bo's breasts. Then Lauren finally lowered her hips and pushed into Bo's exposed pussy.

"Oh god! …Lauren… what are you doing to me?" She grunted and groaned with every thrust, pressing back with her own hips to improve the pressure on her inflamed flesh. "You feel so good! Baby, this is incredible!"

Lauren looked at Bo with a sexy, self-satisfied smile, then she lowered her mouth to a hard nipple and sucked. "Holy shit!" Bo cried, the extra stimulation overwhelming all her nerves. As Lauren continued to rock, she licked, nibbled, and pinched Bo's aching nipples while alternating breasts, switching back and forth between her mouth and hand. Bo whimpered as she felt more and more wetness flow from her core. "Oh god baby, I love you! So good, so good…" Bo panted, her voice strained and breathy.

"Love you too, Bo. You are so fucking gorgeous." They had no idea how long they continued to rock and thrust; they got lost in the hypnotic rhythm of grinding and panting, sweat dripping off their heated bodies.

"Ok let's give your legs a rest, baby." She guided Bo's legs down to the bed again and moved to straddle her thigh, pressing her own thigh between Bo's legs to give her some much needed friction. Lauren leaned back down over Bo and held herself up on her arms. They both groaned as their breasts crushed together and met in a delicious kiss that sent powerful shivers through their bodies.

They licked and sucked lips and tongues, the kiss rising in passion as they devoured each other. They moved the kiss to their necks and jaws, eliciting gentle high-pitched moans. "You are amazing," Bo whispered into her lover's ear. She then returned to making love to Lauren's mouth as they kissed each other into a trance.

While continuing to thrust, Lauren moved her hand down Bo's body until she reached her clit and swirled around it with two fingers. Bo just inhaled a huge gasp and started whimpering and speeding up her hips. Just a little longer and she'd be ready to come. She started panting hard, having difficulty keeping her eyes open.

"No! no, no, no, no….." Bo cried when the stimulation stopped abruptly as Lauren began to slide down Bo's body.

"Hang on, sweetie. I'm gonna take care of you I promise." Lauren continued to slide down until she was in position. She gently separated Bo's lips to expose her lover to her gaze. "Baby you are so beautiful."

Lauren took a long firm lick and Bo loudly gasped again. "Ooooh …god…"

To which Lauren replied, "And you taste so good. Mmmm…"

Lauren worked her way up and down both sides, licking, fluttering, sucking and nibbling Bo's inner lips. The ache in her clit was maddening, but Lauren just continued to tease.

Lauren finally fluttered her tongue over Bo's clit; she sighed a breathy moan in relief, then suddenly Lauren sucked hard. "Uuuuuuuhhhn!" The sensation so intense she couldn't form words. Bo wondered how long she could keep this up, and she hadn't even been fucked yet, which she hoped was Lauren's intention.

Lauren released Bo's clit and plunged her tongue deep into Bo's quivering opening, eagerly scooping up a tongue-full of her slippery wet essence. She started thrusting her tongue in and out while she used a finger to rub Bo's clit. Bo continued to let out high pitched whimpers with every thrust.

Lauren kept her finger on Bo's clit as she raised her head to speak. "You ready for fingers baby?"

"Oh god _yes_! Please baby, please!"

Lauren squirmed to position herself so she could use both hands as best as possible. She sucked Bo's clit into her mouth as she slid two fingers into her writhing lover. "Fuck! So good baby.. give me another…" Lauren added a third finger and increased the pressure of each thrust. "Uuuuuuuhhhhnnnn. Gaah!...so good baby…fuck me harder, please harder!"

This was what Lauren had been waiting for. "Touch your breasts Bo. Pinch your nipples."

"Oh god…" Bo moaned as she complied. Lauren watched her play with her breasts for a moment and then returned to the task at…uh, hand.

Lauren grinned and returned her tongue to Bo's clit while thrusting with her right hand. She started curving her fingers until she found the slightly swollen rough patch of her lover's g-spot. Lauren made sure to press and stroke it with every thrust. She glanced up to make sure Bo was still fondling her breasts. The sight was breathtaking. "Baby you are so fucking hot." Bo could only grunt helplessly. Lauren maneuvered her left hand in to place, softly pressing down on the creamy flesh right above Bo's wet, wiry curls. Lauren rubbed circles and pressed gently trying to keep her movements in time with the thrusts to Bo's g-spot. All three places of stimulation were coming together in a perfect storm.

"Fuck! Fucking hell what are you doing? Oh god. Holy shit…" The intensity was building to impossible heights until Bo started wailing and tears started to leak out of the corner of her eyes. "Oh god Lo how are you…?"

Lauren felt Bo's legs tense up, and then tremble spastically. With a final thrust, Bo helplessly erupted, flashes of light exploding behind her eyelids. "Uuuuuuuhhhn!…Gaaaaah! … Laurrrennnnnnn!"

As Bo howled her ecstasy, Lauren suddenly found her face drenched. She quickly pulled back and watched in wonder as a powerful stream of fluid sprayed out in an arc, saturating the bed. Lauren giggled in delight. She kept thrusting and pressing and she felt Bo start to come again. Bo was desperately gasping for air as her eyes continued to water. She lifted up her pelvis, all her muscles frozen with tension as the second orgasm crashed upon her. "Oh god, oh baby…"

As Bo started to come down from the pinnacle of her climax, Lauren pulled out and started to slowly and gently rub Bo's clit, quickly igniting a trembling aftershock. Lauren released her clit and started lightly stroking her wet curls to bring her inflamed lover down easily. She finally relented as Bo gasped quietly, trying to control her breathing. Lauren crawled up next to Bo and pulled her into a very wet kiss. Bo dove into the kiss with gusto, enjoying the eroticism of tasting her own juices on Lauren's mouth and face.

Eventually their kisses became languorous as they basked in the afterglow. Lauren noticed the salty wetness on Bo's cheeks and pulled back to caress her face. "Baby you're crying." She wiped the tears away with her thumbs. "I love you."

"I love you too, Lo. That was …there are simply no words. I've never felt so connected, I'm just…god it's overwhelming!" She paused to sniffle. "And sex has never made me cry. Well we won't count all the times I cried after the fact because I killed someone. Ok forget that, not pleasant afterglow talk. But holy shit, babe – just like you promised, you rocked my world!" She giggled in wonder. "And no one has ever made me squirt before either!" Bo's face beamed with nothing short of pure joy. "I always thought that was a myth."

Lauren just gazed at Bo with love and awe, and an extremely proud smile. "Yeah, I got skills." she snickered. "Never underestimate the power of the g-spot and a doctor's hands."

"Lauren, no one will ever make love to me like you do, baby. It was absolutely…divine. And holy shit we both made each other cry tonight!" She giggled happily. "We are such saps. The lesbian processing must have affected our hormones!"

"You're adorable."

"So considering that we're lying in a huge puddle – aren't you glad we have a second bed to sleep in?" Bo chuckled impishly.

Lauren laughed heartily. "It certainly worked out to our advantage. We'll have to remember that – for next time." Her eyes sparkled devilishly.

Bo couldn't hide her surprised delight. "Next time?" She quirked an eyebrow. "Why you little vixen! It's always the quiet ones."

"I don't recall being very quiet."

Bo pulled her girlfriend into a sultry kiss. "You…are… the most…exquisite…radiant…sex goddess…ever! And you never fail…to take my breath away."

Lauren lost herself in the euphoria of Bo lazily worshipping her mouth and neck with her tongue. _Tonight is going to be the best sleep I've had in years_, she dimly thought as she gradually drifted closer to blissful oblivion.

As soon as Lauren started to nod off, Bo nudged her so they could get up and crawl into the other bed. They slept deeply, limbs haphazardly tangled together; but by morning – as usual – they would wake up in a gentle, comfortable embrace. With their relationship securely intact.

* * *

"So is it safe to say that last night's 'experiment' was a success?" Bo asked, as she spread jam on her English muffin. The lovers had indulged in room service for breakfast, allowing for a more leisurely morning just lounging about in their robes.

"Oh, baby do you have to ask?" Lauren replied with a playful smirk.

"I'm pretty sure we agree that the lovemaking was one for the record books…but I just wanted to know how you really felt about what happened up until our 'guests' left. It meant a lot that you put so much trust in me. I was a little afraid that you might feel ambushed and invaded since it involved other people having sex. But I swear I won't ever pressure you to do it again if you were the slightest bit uncomfortable."

"Bo, sweetie – it's ok, don't be so worried. I was the one who mentioned a 'next time.'" Her sly smile quickly put Bo at ease. "It was definitely an evening of new discoveries. If you had told me ahead of time that I was going to watch you feed from two half-naked screwing strangers, I would have said hell no." She chuckled and rolled her eyes at the absurdity, then took a sip of orange juice.

"There was the initial shock when you opened the bathroom, but then I just focused on you and they faded to the background. Even though you didn't touch them, we still got an eyeful of naked ass and boobs – but I didn't care, which actually surprised me. I didn't feel creepy, or jealous, or threatened. The entire time you were in there feeding, I felt – I knew – that you were completely mine. And watching you absorb all that sexual chi…you were just pulsing with power. I couldn't believe how much it turned me on." Lauren's confession made her blush hotly, but she held Bo in a confident, flirtatious gaze. "It was quite liberating, actually."

"Really?" Bo playfully leered at her girlfriend. "Damn, baby…that is so hot." She suggestively licked her lips. "You can watch me feed anytime, Dr. Lewis." Bo softened her expression as she continued sincerely, "It was a powerful experience for me too. I filled up on the most potent chi from not just one but two Fae, but the energy flowing through me, the rush, it was all about you. It wasn't your chi, but it still made me feel so connected to you. Having you watch me feed just set me on fire. And what we shared afterwards…it was a damn revelation!"

"I'd say congratulations are in order. You've just invented another feeding technique for today's modern monogamous succubus. We'll call it 'sexual feeding by proxy.' You can share credit with me when I publish the journal article," Lauren deadpanned.

Bo burst into a fit of giggles. "God, I love you!"

Lauren couldn't remember the last time she felt so light, so free, so joyful. She got up from her chair and walked around the table to Bo, who was watching her in delighted curiosity. Bo scooted her chair back as if to stand up, but before she could move, Lauren straddled her and sat down on her lap. "I love you too, baby."

Lauren untied her robe and let it fall open, giving Bo a tantalizing view of delectable naked flesh. She quickly leaned down and smothered Bo with kisses.

"Mmmmm…" Bo reveled in the attention, and she slipped her arms inside Lauren's open robe so she could massage and stroke her hips and lower back.

"So, I guess we need to revise the rules so that sexual chi from others is allowed if it comes from a 'sex proxy.' And as long as all other rules apply: you don't touch and you don't get naked. And make sure you thrall them into forgetting – less weirdness if we run in to them later." Lauren summed up.

"Absolutely, babe. And it goes without saying," Bo continued, "a 'sex proxy' is only allowed if my smokin' hot girlfriend is with me. No sexy time without my sexy woman." She leaned forward and buried her face between Lauren's breasts and caressed her with sensual, open mouth kisses.

"Mmmm…Deal!"


	16. Besties Busted (a little comic relief)

A/N: Hi, guys! Forgive me for being shameless for a moment - I'd love to hear more from you! I've been surprised by the tons of traffic and repeat visitors, and there's a bunch of you subscribed to the story alerts. So give me a shout in the comments/reviews. Feedback is like crack! Hope you're enjoying reading as much as I've enjoyed writing! So here's a little bit of fluff for a change. Hope it gives you a chuckle. Thanks again for reading! :-)

* * *

"Time to go, you skanky ho! Who's the pimp now, bitches?"

"Saving the world from the robot hooker apocalypse again, Kenz?" asked Bo, as she strolled into the clubhouse. She was weighted down with several bags of groceries, but she had been floating on a cloud all day.

"Hey Bo-dacious." Kenzi paused her game and put down the controller when she noticed the grocery bags. "Uh-oh, you went to an actual grocery store. That usually means bingeing on Cheetos, chocolate, marshmallow fluff, and raw cookie dough – and that can only mean my succubuddy's got the blues. You wanna talk about it?"

Bo was already buzzing around the kitchen, tossing food in the fridge and pulling out pots and pans. And obviously not listening. "Huh? Wait – what about blue cookies?"

"Are you ok? Because you – oh my god, what is that green stuff? Lettuce? You better not be a kitsune because I swear I'll sic Dyson on your foxy ass!"

"Kenzi, chill! Lettuce, as in salad? As in dinner? I _can_ cook, you know. Lauren's coming over soon."

"Still trying to win back her wayward heart?"

Bo paused what she was doing and turned to Kenzi with an electric smile. "I'm pretty sure I did that yesterday. And last night…and this morning…"

"Way to go, succuslut! And I'm assuming you got the rest of her body too? 'Cause otherwise, kinda gruesome."

"Gross, Kenzi."

"So what happened? Two days ago you said you two were at 'doc-con 1' and Hotpants was gonna bail. You didn't thrall her, did you? 'Cause if you roofied her stuck up ass I will be very disappointed. I got baggage, you know."

"Oh my god, Kenzi! What kind of perv do you think I am? And Lauren is not stuck up! I'll have you know that we had two days of intense, _mature_ discussion, cleared up some misunderstandings, set some guidelines, and used up two boxes of Kleenex."

"And had hot, wild animal sex apparently," smirked Kenzi, grabbing a carrot from Bo's pile of salad ingredients.

"Lauren and I don't have sex. We make love."

Kenzi put her finger in her mouth and pretended to wretch. "Please tell me you didn't just seriously quote a Harlequin romance – the one that even the publisher rejected for being too sugary. You're gonna give me a cavity, dude!"

"It may be corny, but when you spend a decade fucking and killing random strangers, it's necessary to make the distinction. Plus, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Bo giggled and sighed as she filled a large pot with water. "Seriously, Kenz. Sex with someone you're in love with, it's just… earth-shattering in comparison. And I've had a _lot_ of sex, so I should know."

"So it's all good in the Land of Lady Lurve?"

"It's awesome!" Bo smiled dreamily. "I actually think it made our relationship stronger."

"What about the feeding thing? It's one thing to sort out your personal shit, but you still gotta get the big blue 'O' from other people. And if she freaks out later and breaks your heart, she's going on a blind date with the back of a shovel!"

Bo giggled wistfully as she washed the salad vegetables. "That's the best part! We finally figured out how to work around it so I get the chi without the cheating." She shot an impish grin toward her bestie. "And the results so far have been very…satisfying."

Kenzi held up her hand and turned away in mock disdain. "I'm not even gonna ask. But if you start having threesomes, keep it at the doc's place. My ears and the ceiling plaster can only handle so much."

"Jeez, Kenz, give me some credit. We would never bring that sort of thing here!"

"Ah-ha!" Kenzi spun around triumphantly. "So you _are_ having threesomes!

"What? No! I said no cheating – as in no sex with other people! I'm a one-woman succubus now and it's gonna stay that way."

"Yeah, until you fall off a building or get stabbed. I don't see how a starvation diet is gonna work, unless you get a stay-at-home job stuffing envelopes."

Bo sighed in resignation. "Kenz, all you need to know is we got it covered. And I won't starve. And out of respect for my girlfriend, even my bestie doesn't get details!"

"Fine. So what are you making? Spaghetti?

"Eggplant parm."

"Wow you really are cooking real food. So is this date night or family style?"

"I bought enough for three; it's just casual. Then Lo and I are gonna go see a movie over at the university. The LGBT club is hosting a queer Canadian film festival. Lauren wants me see this chick flick called _Better than Chocolate_." Bo chuckled playfully. "She says now that I'm monogamous with a woman I have to work on my lesbian street cred."

"Dude! If you start hosting drumming circles and self-actualization encounter groups, I'm moving in with Trick. And if you, of all people, show up in a pair of Birkenstocks, I won't be surprised when the Nain Rouge drops by to warn us about the end times."

"We're watching a movie, not joining a vegan separatist commune. Besides, it's supposed to have good love scenes." Bo snickered mischievously, "which reminds me, don't wait up, we'll be at Lauren's tonight."

"Yeah, having a threesome!"

"Kenzi! My succubus orgy days are over for good! Nope, no more, never again, nada, nyet! And I couldn't be happier about it. Now come be useful and get the garlic bread ready."

"Orgies? I said threesomes. You've had orgies?"

"Yeah, well, I kinda went on a few wild benders when I discovered I could feed from Fae without killing anyone."

"Day-um! Gonna have to start calling you 'Lady Poly – amorous'. I'm sure your leather bustier and thigh-high fuck-me boots are way deadlier than Lady Bumpkin Bitch and her sickle of doom. I bet you could have the frigid pearl-clutchers of Grimley sporting fetish wear in time for the August ice cream social."

"Nice visual. Oh, speaking of Grimley – we're gonna go to the cherry festival next year."

"Oooh…takin' your old lady home to meet the old lady, huh? Nah, you can't fool me -…I know you just wanna go pop some cherries in the country!" Kenzi poked her tongue out, crudely teasing her friend.

"God Kenz, will you give it a rest already? My girlfriend's gonna be here soon, and when she gets here don't you _dare_ say anything that even _suggests_ that Lauren and I are having orgies!"

The jarring sound of glass breaking jolted the two friends from their heated banter. They looked over toward the front door, cringing when they saw Lauren, wide-eyed and pale, gaping at them in horror with a shattered bottle of red wine at her feet. Winning the prize for the worst timing _ever_, Lauren had walked in at just the precise moment to hear, 'Lauren and I are having orgies.'

Everyone stood in stunned silence, until Bo finally cleared her throat and attempted to speak. "Um… Hey babe. You're here early. I mean, uh – your hair looks amazing!"

"_SERIOUSLY_, Bo?!" Fuming, Lauren turned and marched back out the door, her eyes watering from humiliation.

"Shit."

"Oh my god, you two really are having group sex!"

"NO WE ARE NOT! Thanks a lot Kenz! Now clean up this mess while I go do damage control!"

"Baby, wait!" As Bo scrambled out of the clubhouse, she saw Lauren pacing furiously next to the Camaro. Her face had turned several shades of red. As Bo got closer, she winced when she saw tears in her girlfriend's eyes.

"What the_ HELL, _Bo? You know, some things are supposed to be kept _private_, even from your best friend! How could you embarrass me like that? Our sex life should be sacred – not some conquest to brag about to your buddies! Were you going to call Dyson next? And how dare you call what we shared an orgy? You made it sound so…so dirty! I'm never going to be able to look Kenzi in the eye again!"

"Baby, it wasn't like that I swear!"

"Just take me home, Bo. I'm not in the mood to deal with the metro right now."

"But Lo, you must not have heard everything! I didn't tell her about what we did! I would never do that to you! She was just being Kenzi – teasing and cracking crude jokes. I was just telling her that she better _not_ mention orgies when you got here!"

Lauren leaned against the car and stared at the ground for a few moments while she wiped her eyes and sniffled. "Really?"

Bo enveloped Lauren in a comforting hug. "Really baby. Kenzi asked how we were doing, and I said we talked it out and things were great. Then she asked if we dealt with the feeding thing and I said we worked it out. So then she teased me, claiming that if I wasn't starving then we must be having threesomes or orgies or whatever. I didn't want her talking that shit around you so I told her to cool it. You just came in at the worst possible moment – you only heard the last half of the sentence." She gently kissed Lauren's hair and rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm so sorry sweetie. I didn't mean to upset you."

Lauren buried her face in Bo's shoulder as they just stood and held each other, swaying gently. "I'm sorry I freaked out and ruined dinner," she sniffed, "and that was really good wine, too."

"Oh sweetie, don't worry about it." She gave Lauren a tender peck on the lips. "We still have beer if you want."

"Oh god…now Kenzi must think we really _are_ having orgies!" She quickly buried her face in Bo's shoulder again.

"I'll take care of Kenzi – and don't worry, there will be no talk of sex proxies. So will you stay for dinner? I'm making your favorite, eggplant parmesan. Kenzi will be on her best behavior, I swear. If you go home now and start avoiding her, it will just snowball from there and I don't want there to be a rift between you two."

Lauren sighed and tried to compose herself. "Ok. Just give me a few minutes to go upstairs and wash my face and get myself together."

"Since you're early there's still cooking to do. Do you wanna help us? It'll be a family bonding experience." Bo smirked when she elicited an eye roll from her girlfriend.

"Don't push your luck."


	17. Slippery When Wet

A/N: A fluffy sexy romp before things get heavy again. Mature sexual content. Read at your risk.

* * *

"Oh my god, I've never seen so many dykes in one place before! Be glad you don't have succubus sight, Lo. Every time there was a sex scene, all the auras in the theater started popping off like fireworks! It was very distracting."

"Aw, poor baby. You actually had trouble seeing the screen? And here I thought you were squirming because you were trapped at an all-you-can-eat buffet and you're on a restricted diet!" Lauren snickered as she unlocked the door and led Bo into her apartment.

"Hey! There is nothing restricted about my diet!" She pulled Lauren into a playful kiss that quickly turned slow and sensual. "I used to eat burgers, but now I have filet mignon whenever I want."

"Did you just call me a piece of meat?" Lauren accused in mock indignation.

"No, I just suck at romantic metaphors." Bo nipped at her girlfriend's bottom lip before sliding her tongue in and lightly stroked the roof of Lauren's mouth.

"Mmmm…" Lauren shivered when Bo seized her tongue and sucked rhythmically for a few moments. "Sometimes I actually like it when you… suck. And you taste…"

"Better than chocolate?" Bo punned wickedly, licking her girlfriend's upper lip and then offering her tongue for Lauren to taste.

"Mmmm…now that is a much sexier metaphor."

"What can I say, that movie was very…inspiring."

"Does that mean you want to take up body painting?

"No – or at least not _yet_," Bo took Lauren's hand and led her toward the stairs. "But I am inspired to take a long, hot shower…with my even hotter, sexy muse."

Lauren smiled and intently studied the sway of her girlfriend's curvaceous hips as she eagerly followed Bo up the stairs.

* * *

Bo and Lauren stood in the bathroom, facing each other in silence while the water in the shower warmed up. They took a few moments to run their eyes over each other's body, exchanging flirtatious glances. Then as if on cue, each woman slowly began removing her clothing, never moving their eyes away from their beloved. Once they both stood basking in each other's radiant nudity, they met in a slow, sensual kiss and trailed their fingers across their bodies with feather-like strokes. They methodically caressed each other like priceless pieces of art, reveling in the exquisite tactile sensations of exploring their backs and torsos with their fingertips. After several minutes of blissful torture, Lauren broke away and led her lover into the shower, the warm wet cascade setting their hypersensitive skin on fire.

They held each other in a tight embrace, maximizing body contact while they kissed languorously under the soothing water. Lauren lazily kissed her way up Bo's jaw then whispered huskily in her ear, "You are absolutely breathtaking." She punctuated her statement by sliding her hands down Bo's back to firmly squeeze and massage her shapely ass.

Bo growled out a faint moan as her lover took possession of her body; she in turn clutched and rubbed Lauren's shoulder blades and lightly stroked down her spine. The lovers were helplessly drowning in sensuality, perfectly willing to be pulled under and lost in the abyss.

"Turn around, baby, let me wash your hair," Lauren offered. Bo just smiled playfully and complied. She was soon emitting happy little murmurs and moans as Lauren luxuriously lathered her hair and massaged her scalp. While her hands were still full of slippery shampoo suds, Lauren mischievously brought them around to fondle Bo's breasts. Lauren's body surged in electric delight when she heard Bo's delicious gasp of surprise. Bo tipped her head back to rest on Lauren's shoulder as she placed her own hands on top of her girlfriend's, encouraging her to more firmly squeeze, rub and pinch her breasts and hardened nipples.

"Mmmm…oh baby. They really like that. You make them feel _so good_."

Lauren smirked at Bo referring to her own breasts in the third person. "Yes, I know babe. They feel so very good to me too." Lauren focused more intently on her girlfriend's tight nipples; Bo responded by raising her arm to rest on the back of Lauren's neck while turning her head to the side to capture her lover's mouth in a steamy kiss.

Lauren grabbed the bottle of body wash and a bath poof and lovingly attended to washing Bo's entire body; Bo reveled in her girlfriend's loving touch, happily standing still and letting Lauren take charge of her pleasure. Before giving Bo a final rinse, Lauren discarded the bath poof and began running her hands over every inch of Bo's soap-slick body. She worked her way up each leg and arm and liberally stroked Bo's back, breasts and toned abs. Bo's entire body was humming with energy, and soon Lauren saw her eyes shift from brown to electric blue.

Lauren was pleasantly surprised that she had already aroused Bo enough for her eyes to change. She had intended to tease her lover in anticipation for what would come after the shower, but now that her succubus had been awakened, she couldn't make her wait any longer. Lauren detached the shower head so she could more efficiently rinse all the soap off her lover. After she returned it to its holder, she pulled Bo in to a hungry, wet kiss and then seductively commanded, "Bend over a little bit and put your hands on the wall."

Bo groaned as Lauren's sensual demanding tone caused an instant pounding in her clit. Lauren was the only person she had ever sexually submitted to, and giving herself over to her lover had never failed to make her explode in mind-numbing ecstasy. Bo captured Lauren's mouth in a demanding, succulent kiss, then she gave her girlfriend a devilish wink and turned around to bend over and lean against the shower wall.

Lauren immediately reached around to play with Bo's breasts, earning an appreciative groan. "Don't move your hands off the wall." Lauren instructed as she rolled and tugged Bo's nipples.

Bo lightly panted as she responded, "Oh…ok baby."

Lauren knelt down and started stroking up and down each of Bo's legs, sliding further and further up her inner thighs as she went. "Spread 'em for me babe." With another longing groan, Bo willingly complied.

Lauren continued to lightly stroke up and down Bo's inner thighs, stopping before reaching her aching pussy. She then moved on to stroking the silky smooth cheeks of Bo's ass, gradually gliding closer and closer to her prize. Bo felt her entire pussy throb as her hot swollen flesh became wetter and wetter. "Please, Lo! You're driving me crazy!"

Lauren chuckled smugly. "That's just the way I want ya, babe."

Bo whimpered every time Lauren's elusive hands stroked closer to where she needed, but then retreated away, prolonging her torture. Finally Lauren cooed, "I love you," and then stroked her fingers down over Bo's ass and slid them through the hot slippery lips of her pussy.

"Aaaahhhh! Oh yes…that's so good baby!" Bo cried, as her lover stroked back and forth between her lips, smearing her slick juices all over her clit. Lauren finally slid three fingers into her girlfriend and Bo gasped at the fullness.

"You ok babe?"

"Yeah, it's good, just give me a second." Bo panted a few times, concentrating on relaxing her muscles. Then she started slowly rocking her hips, letting out a long, deep groan.

"God Bo, you are so fucking hot." Lauren slowly started to add her own thrusts to Bo's movements. They rocked slowly, gradually expanding their range of movement as Bo continually moaned, deep and rapturous.

Bo started increasing her pace, rocking more insistently against her girlfriend's fingers. Lauren was caught off guard when Bo suddenly cried, "Gimme another, baby. Fill me up!"

"Are you sure?"

Bo moved to bend over more, wantonly pushing her ass out farther in a lewd plea for relief. "God yes. I need it!"

Lauren thought she might come just from watching Bo helplessly rutting like a cat in heat. She quickly snapped out of it and eagerly gave Bo what she was begging for; she pulled her fingers almost all the way out, added her little finger and then shoved all four fingers roughly into her girlfriend's dripping wet heat.

"YES! Oh shit, baby, that's it…oh _GOD_!" Bo rocked her hips faster and faster, Lauren matching her pace thrust for thrust. Soon Bo couldn't even form words and just serenaded Lauren with more and more desperate grunts and moans. Lauren finally reached around with her other hand and started fluttering against Bo's clit as fast as possible.

"Oh _FUUUUUCK!_" Bo's guttural exclamation became a rapidly rising shriek of ecstasy as she climaxed hard onto Lauren's hand, her quaking legs on the verge of buckling.

Lauren removed her hand from Bo's clit so she could gently wrap her arm around Bo's waist to give her support while she slowly returned to earth. When Bo's breathing returned to normal Lauren gently slid out of her girlfriend and embraced her with both arms. She placed loving, wet kisses along Bo's neck and shoulders and softly murmured, "I love you."

As Bo held Lauren's hands that rested gently on her abdomen, she blissfully mumbled, "Lurfyutoo."


	18. Hunted and Haunted

A/N: Hello again, dedicated readers! I just wanted you to know that updates might soon be a little less frequent. I don't actually write fast, I wrestle with every sentence. I've been posting fast because I already had it 80% done. Now I'm working on the ending, and when I run out of pre-written chapters to post, there might be a delay till I can post the last few. But thanks so much for following my story!

This next chapter will address Lauren's secret past. It was pretty vague on the show, so I used a lot of creative license to fill in the gaps. Hope it works. :-)

* * *

After another late breakfast at their favorite greasy spoon, Bo and Lauren went back to the clubhouse so Bo could get a clean change of clothes. They hadn't made any plans for the day, and before they could come up with any ideas, they found themselves lounging on Bo's bed, wasting away the afternoon cuddling and kissing, and talking about everything and nothing.

"Lauren, what do you think you would be doing with your life if you weren't bound to the Ash?"

Lauren groaned. "Damn Bo, you just couldn't make it through more than one day without a heavy conversation, huh? I knew yesterday's reprieve was too good to last."

"Sorry sweetie, we don't have to talk about it." Bo backpedaled. "I didn't mean to spoil the mood with deep thoughts."

"It's fine, Bo. You know I was just teasing." Lauren sighed heavily. "So what would I do if I weren't bound to the Ash…well, that's a very complicated question that I haven't been able to answer for the last six years. Are you asking what I would do if I weren't bound in the first place, or what I would do if I were given my freedom?"

"Either. Or both."

Lauren briefly stared at the ceiling as she took a deep breath. "I could have gone in a lot of different directions before the Fae and who knows what path I would have chosen. I went to med school, but a year into my residency I decided I was more interested in research. I went back to get a second doctorate in genetics; I also took an interest in epidemiology. That's how I ended up in the Congo. I was there for about a year before I encountered the Fae. Working in the Congo with native cultures got me interested in the needs of underdeveloped nations. So I could imagine myself working for Doctors without Borders or some other medical relief organization. If I hadn't gone to the Congo, maybe pharmaceutical research or academia. I had so many different interests and never got the chance to settle on one."

Bo noticed that Lauren suddenly got faraway look in her eyes and when she spoke again her voice sounded hollow. "But that was a different time and I was a different person. I try not to think about the what-ifs before the Fae, it can only lead to madness."

"What about now?" Bo gently asked. "If you got free from the Fae?"

"That's the million dollar question, isn't it?" sighed Lauren, with a hint of exasperation. " I don't even know if I have a place in the human world anymore." Then she added dismally, "and if I ran, would I still be able to be a scientist or would I be constantly on the run, a drifter taking odd jobs?"

"Been there done that. Not fun."

Lauren chuckled sadly. "I've thought about running so many times in the last six years. After Nadia was in a coma for two years I started losing hope and I hated myself for being tempted to abandon her. But after a while, it seemed easier and easier to tolerate the subjugation as long as the science was fulfilling." Lauren looked down at her hands, suddenly feeling ashamed.

Lauren snapped out of it and looked up, determined not to sink into self-pity. "From an academic standpoint, the Fae's biodiversity, rich cultural heritage, and their command over supernatural forces is an absolute wonder to behold. There are so many things to admire about the Fae, and it's such a shame that all that knowledge and wisdom has been poisoned by their total disdain for their fellow sentient beings." Lauren sighed in resigned frustration.

"But I suppose that's a natural result from feeding on humans – they can't see humans as people. You know, I would think that if animals suddenly started talking and thinking like people, the whole world would become vegetarians, but maybe that's naïve. Besides, most Fae's biology aren't designed for alternative food sources. So we're just cattle to them."

"But you know that's not true for all Fae. Even those who weren't raised by humans." Bo was happy that she elicited a small grin from her conflicted girlfriend. "I have to believe things are changing, even though it's going to take a hell of a long time. But even someone as old as Trick has changed his viewpoint a lot in the last three years, although I know there are times when his kind heart is at odds with his traditions. But it's progress."

"You know, I could easily study the Fae for the rest of my life," Lauren swallowed hard and spoke quietly, as if she was afraid to hear her own voice, "but if I live the rest of my life as their property, I know I will be dead long before my body gives out. Bo, there are so many times when I don't know who I am anymore. And on those days, loving you is all I have to remind me of myself, and it wasn't long ago I felt that was being ripped away too. I'd never felt so lost."

Bo affectionately tucked a lock of hair behind Lauren's ear. "Then I hope you will also let _my_ love for _you_ remind you of who you are, at least until you can love yourself enough that you can remember all on your own."

"Bo."

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"I've always hated that the beginning of our relationship was marred by lies and deception. Two years were wasted because the old Ash tried to use my connection to you to his advantage, and then I was such a coward you had to find out about Nadia from the Morrigan…I broke your heart twice before we even managed to become girlfriends. But I…"

"It's ok babe, we got past all that a long time ago." Bo rubbed and patted Lauren's thigh, attempting to offer some reassurance.

"Bo, these last few days, we've done something amazing. We were just trying to patch a hole in our relationship, but I think we actually reinforced the foundation and that's a wonderful thing. But I just realized that we can't last long term unless I can bring _all_ of me into the relationship. I can't keep letting pieces of myself disappear." Lauren paused as she anxiously considered the consequences of what she was about to say. Bo simply waited patiently, sensing that something big was coming.

"So now I have to risk letting you down again, and tell you a secret I have been carrying around for over twelve years." Lauren shuddered. "A secret I planned on taking to my grave. And I'm terrified."

"Sweetie, look at me." Bo held Lauren in a sympathetic gaze. "If this secret is something that is dead and buried in the past and all it's doing is weighing on your heart, I'll be happy to help you carry it, if you want – but I'll also respect if you decide to keep it to yourself. I won't love you any less if it's a secret you want to keep. But if it's the kind of secret that might come back and bite you in the ass someday, I really want you to tell me so I can help you deal with it if it does. But no matter what you tell me, I'm not going anywhere, ok?"

"Ok." She stared into Bo's kind eyes for a moment, gathering her strength to face her truth. "So…yes this could potentially bite me in the ass. But so far, to my knowledge, nobody knows the truth, not even my family."

Bo pulled Lauren into a gentle, heartfelt kiss. "Thank you for sharing it with me. It means a lot."

Lauren snorted and looked up with a watery-eyed smile. "You don't even know what it is yet."

"It's ok, I know you'll get there. And I'll still love you."

Lauren took several deep cleansing breaths, trying to find the courage to speak. "Lauren Lewis doesn't exist," she finally blurted.

Bo took a few moments to gaze affectionately at her girlfriend. Then her eyes brightened and she replied with a decisive smile, "Of course she does. And she's awesome."

"No, I mean Lauren Lewis is an alias."

Bo reached over to grab Lauren's hand. "Sweetie, I know what you meant. I was on the run for ten years. I've had more fake identities than I can count. It doesn't matter if a name is handed to you at birth or you create one for yourself, it's the person wearing the name that matters. So for whatever reason, you reinvented yourself. And that self is still you. You gave Lauren Lewis her soul. An incredibly beautiful soul, I might add. So of course Lauren Lewis exists, because you built her from scratch, all by yourself. And she's awesome! And I love her."

Lauren hadn't even begun to unburden herself, but already her eyes stung, her face turned red and splotchy and she started to sniffle. "I love you too, Bo. But if you keep acting like the world's most perfect and loving girlfriend, I'll never stop crying long enough to get this out!"

"Hey, whataya mean, _acting_?" Bo burst into giggles and kissed Lauren's hand.

"Alright, alright, moving on." She took another breath and cleared her throat. "My name is Karen Beattie. I'm American. And I'm a fugitive." She looked back up at Bo to check her reaction, but her face just calmly continued to radiate compassion.

"When I was in college, I was a passionate idealist; I was going to change the world. You know, most everyone goes through that 'young and stupid' phase in early adulthood. Let's just say that despite my IQ and Ivy League education, I got several extra helpings of stupid." Bo stifled a small giggle, but her twinkling eyes still conveyed loving support.

"I grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, with Yale right in my back yard. My younger brother Kenny and I got into environmentalism in high school and later joined a local activist group. By the time I was a junior at Yale, the New Haven group had become radicalized and was staging several direct action protests across the country each year. When I started college I had to reduce my participation a lot, but remained an active member. I led a double life at Yale. I was a member of this radical lefty activist group, practically an anarchist, but I was also in the ROTC, mostly just to please my parents. Military service was a big deal in my family. We've got three generations of West Point graduates. And the military was supposed to expand my career opportunities. But joining the military in a post 9-11 world was the epitome of stupid for someone who didn't really have their heart in it."

"Wow. Lauren Lewis – I mean Karen Beattie, woman warrior! Hey do you have any pictures of you in combat boots and fatigues?" Bo asked dreamily.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "That's all you can think about while I'm pouring my heart out to you? Rein in the horny succubus, Bo, because I need my girlfriend now."

"Sorry baby." Bo took Lauren's hands and held them in her lap." I'm listening."

"But Kenny dropped out of college and rose up the group's ranks and started taking activists on pipeline missions out west, sabotaging new construction. I couldn't go with him, but I was passionate about the cause and would help him get the supplies together for the team. We just kept getting more and more brazen until finally I made a couple small pipe bombs for them. We only set the bombs off in unoccupied areas, but they finally got some real news coverage. I'm ashamed to say it was a rush when our activism got noticed."

Bo smirked, "I wondered where you got the skills to make those smoke bombs that drove out Ms. Moss Monster. Really impressed the juvie kids."

"Not something I'm really proud off." Lauren voice suddenly grew distant, lost in painful thoughts. "I few months before graduation, we found out that we were going to go directly to active duty; the US war on terror was sucking up all the reservists. Kenny asked me to make a few pipe bombs before I left so he could use them during the next couple year's rounds of protests. So I left him with six pipe bombs and three months later I was in Afghanistan."

Bo looked at her girlfriend as if seeing her for the first time. She had always known that beneath that reserved exterior, Lauren had to possess the inner strength and mental fortitude of a warrior in order to endure the dehumanizing stress of being bound to the Ash. And now she finds out that this passionate and noble woman had actually survived a real war zone.

"I had been in the field for over a year when I got word that one of the bombs Kenny's group used killed eleven people." Lauren's voice cracked, signaling that she would soon lose her composure. "They were never supposed to put them in occupied areas! I trusted my brother to use the bombs safely. I mean _my_ bombs. And now eleven people are dead. Including Kenny."

"Oh, baby." Bo gathered her distraught girlfriend into her arms and placed gentle kisses on her head.

The tears finally fell from Lauren's eyes. "I was devastated. I was already surrounded by poverty, death, disease, and destruction and now I was an accessory to mass murder and killed my only sibling. I came really close to cracking up completely." Lauren tried to choke back sobs, but to no avail.

Bo just held and rocked Lauren for several minutes while she was overcome by sobs. "Shit. I thought enough time had passed that I could get through this without falling apart. But this is the first time I've ever talked about it."

"Take your time, baby. There's no rush." Bo soothed. She reached for the tissues on the nightstand.

After blowing her nose and taking several deep breaths, Lauren finally continued. "I knew if they ever traced the bomb back to me I could be looking at life in a military prison. Or worse. Since the bomb went off on federal land and after 9-11 they were cracking down on any act of terrorism, it was considered an act of war…I'm technically guilty of treason."

"Holy shit."

"I was given leave to attend Kenny's funeral. I had a week before I had to return to base and get shipped out again. I knew it was only a matter of time before they tracked down all the members of our group. So I panicked and fled to Canada and became Lauren Lewis. I didn't even tell my parents. They lost both of their children to my stupidity and hubris. Kenny and Karen, I killed them both." The dam finally broke and Lauren could do nothing to hold back the torrent of sobs. "My parents don't know anything other than that I went AWOL. But they are such staunch patriots that I think it's probably easier for them to consider me missing and presumed dead rather than bear the shame that their daughter is a deserter."

Bo continued to stroke Lauren's arm and kiss her temple. Her eyes watered as her heart ached for the pain her beloved had endured. Finally Lauren blew her nose and slowly composed herself.

"It took a while to falsify everything I needed to build a life, but eventually I was settled here and going to med school." Lauren swallowed audibly and finally looked Bo directly in the eye. "So not only am I a fugitive wanted for eco-terrorism, but I'm also AWOL from the US Army and a traitor."

"Oh, Lo," Bo caressed Lauren's cheek and gently wiped away her tears with her thumb. "You are the most amazing woman. You're so strong."

"Strong? I've been running away from my responsibilities for twelve years. I'm a coward, too weak to face the consequences of my crimes. And you wanna know the real fucking irony? When the Congo opportunity came up, I was going to pass on it. And then right before the deadline to accept,it hit the news that five years after the bombing, two members of our little 'terrorist cell' had been found and arrested. So I jumped at the chance to get out of the country and lay low in the Congo for a while – where I ran straight into the arms of the Fae. So even my indentured servitude is a result of that goddamn pipe bomb. I've truly done a phenomenal job of fucking up my life." She took a few seconds to sniffle and wipe her eyes. "Bo, I'm just so tired, and I can't remember _ever_ feeling anything but weak."

"No baby, you've just been carrying too much weight on your shoulders for too long. You've survived so much." She stroked Lauren's hair and tucked a lock behind her ear. "I can't help but love you more." She gently cradled Lauren's face and poured as much love as she possibly could into a passionate yet chaste kiss. Bo tasted her girlfriend's salty tears, but she continued her loving kiss, even as Lauren began to whimper and gently sob again.

"So I have to wonder, have I not been found because being with the Fae keeps me insulated? I'm virtually off the grid. If I were ever released, where could I go? If I ran, could I ever stop?"

"I can't give you any answers, babe. But I promise you this: for as long as you'll have me, I will be here to hold and support you through anything life throws at you. Don't ever forget how much I love you."

"Oh Bo," Lauren sobbed, "how did I ever manage to find you? I love you too, so much. It was so painful to tell you this, but it's also such a huge relief. Thank you for loving me. Sometimes I don't know why you do, but I'll never forget how blessed I am to have you."

"Lauren, baby," Bo gently lifted her girlfriend's chin so Lauren could look directly at her. "You are the easiest person to love, and every day I'm thankful to have you in my life." She captured Lauren in a tender kiss and sent her a warm pulse of her soothing succubus energy, hoping to calm the storm raging in her girlfriend's heart.

The emotional exhaustion finally took its toll and the two lovers shifted to recline on the bed, holding each other in a loving embrace and just gazing at each other, enjoying the silence. Soon they slipped into a peaceful sleep; Bo had but one thought on her mind just before she succumbed to a well-deserved nap. _Come on, Hale. Make it right._


	19. Fluffy Fun at the Falls

The couple had decided to sleep at the clubhouse last night, preferring to stay in and relax the rest of the evening after their emotionally draining conversation. The next morning Bo was disappointed to find herself alone in bed, so she threw on her favorite kimono and went downstairs to look for her girlfriend.

"Hey sweetie, you're up early," Bo called sleepily from the foot of the stairs. Lauren was busy in the kitchen and the sound and smell of bacon frying wafted through the clubhouse. "I was having the yummiest dream about you and I rolled over to squeeze my sexy woman and just got an armful of cold pillow." Bo pouted as she sauntered to the kitchen. "Mmm…but I smell bacon and coffee so I might forgive you this once."

"What, all it took was the smell of food and you forget all about me? I thought you just said _I_ was the yummy one?" She smirked as Bo reached out and encircled her waist in an affectionate embrace.

"That's what's so amazing about you, babe. You have the power to satisfy _all_ of my…appetites." She began trailing soft kisses up and down Lauren's neck and jaw.

Lauren sighed happily, "As much as I'm enjoying the attention, I'm in the middle of working to satisfy one of them. The others will have to get in line." She turned her head and gave Bo a quick peck on the mouth. "Omelets will be ready in a few. Do you want toast?"

"I'll make some. Hey is Kenzi up yet?"

"I haven't heard her. If the smell of coffee and bacon doesn't wake her up, she may have gotten hammered last night."

"_May_ have? We're talking about Kenzi, right?" Bo teased.

"Good point." Lauren smirked as she watched Bo pour two mugs of coffee and went about adding cream and sugar according to their tastes. "Hey babe, I was meaning to ask. Did you go somewhere for a while after I went to sleep? I remember halfway waking up when you got in and out of bed. Did you go out to feed?"

"Oh I didn't mean to wake you sweetie. Yeah, I hadn't the chance these last couple days. Luckily the feed from the sex proxies kept me going longer, but it was definitely time to fill the tank again. But I swear, I stayed within the rules! No sex!"

"Relax Bo, I trust you. I'm just curious how many of the non-sexual 'snacks' it takes to equal a full meal."

"Oh, um… Last night was easy because I stuck to Fae donors and I just stayed in one place. Just grabbed people real quick going in and out of the Dal. It was also easier because it was extra crowded. It only took four, and I was in and out in a half hour. I'm thinking it would have taken eight or nine if they were all human. So the non-sexy snacks filled me up ok, but I think I'll need to feed again sooner since it won't last as long."

"Ok, cool. Good to know. So you think that will work for you on a more regular basis?"

"Yeah, totally! I think it's gonna work great, as long as we go out together for some sexy feeds semi-regularly, and treat ourselves to some sex-proxy loving every now and then." She wrapped her arms around Lauren again and sensually kissed up and down her neck before whispering in her ear, "And I think you're really going to like the benefits of loving a well… fed… succubus."

"Mmmm…I think you might be right."

Bo gave Lauren an extra squeeze and an affectionate peck on her cheek. "Lo, have you thought about when you're going back to the lab?"

"I figured I'd go back Monday. I can only milk it for so long."

"Damn, this week just flew by. Guess we'll just have to make the next few days really count. So I was thinking…how would you like to get out of here and go on a little day trip today?"

Lauren paused for a few moments. "You know, my first instinct was to say I can't, I'm not allowed. But hell, nobody's expecting me at work today so who has to know? And now that Hale is the Ash, if he found out, he might be pissed but I seriously doubt _he_ would throw me in the dungeon for four days. So where do you want to go?"

"I thought going to the falls would be fun. And we could…" Bo stopped, something suddenly dawned on her. "You were held in a dungeon for four days? When?" She asked quietly, dreading the answer.

_Oops. I guess I never told her that._ "Yeah. When Lachlan refused to let me have access to the Ash's journals to research the curse, I snapped and basically told him to fuck off and that I was leaving and taking Nadia with me. So his goons hauled me off to the dungeon. He only held me for four days, but I had no idea how long he would keep me imprisoned – I had nightmares about being left to rot there. Then he let me out and said he found out who cursed Nadia and that he would help her. Then he sent me back to the lab."

"That self-righteous prick!" Bo fumed. "He was supposed to be one of the good guys. I should have beheaded him myself and saved the Garuda the trouble!"

"It's done and over with. No sense in dwelling on it." Lauren's frown quickly shifted to a flirtatious grin. "So…Niagara Falls. I'm in. I haven't seen it in years, but I always wanted to go back and bring someone special with me."

Bo reined in her anger, realizing Lauren was right to not dwell on unpleasant memories. No sense in ruining their day of fun. She pulled her girlfriend into a tight embrace and placed a lingering kiss on her lips. "Then it would be my honor to take you back and share it with you."

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Kenzi came shuffling into the kitchen and made a bee line for the coffee. "Hey Kenz," greeted Bo, as she cleared away the breakfast dishes. "Rough night?" Kenzi just shrugged and grunted as she poured the last of the coffee into an oversized mug.

"Lauren's in the shower but she left you an omelet warming in the oven."

Kenzi's droopy eyes came alert at the mention of food. "Sweet! I'm starving." Bo grabbed a pot holder and pulled Kenzi's breakfast out of the oven.

"Careful, the plate's hot." Bo warned. "You want some O.J.? I can make you some toast if you want."

"Yay! My succubestie lurves me!" Bo rolled her eyes and went to pop some bread in the toaster. Kenzi dug into her omelet and moaned obscenely. "Mmmm…damn that woman can cook. Can we keep her?"

Bo handed Kenzi a glass of orange juice. "That's the idea," she said with a sly grin. "So listen Kenz, Lauren and I are going to slip away to the falls today for some quality girlfriend time."

"Impressive. From heartbreak hotel to the honeymoon suite in less than five days. You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet."

"We're not staying over, just a day trip, but we'll probably stay at Lauren's tonight." Bo smiled brightly. "Oh, and by the way – the sweeping was very mutual."

"Aw, I lurves me some happy, sappy, Bo."

Bo chuckled and put an arm around her friend's shoulders. "Thanks, Kenz."

"Just don't blow all your money at the casino. And bring me some fudge!"

* * *

"Oh my god, I can't remember when was the last time I had a snow cone! I feel like a big kid!" Lauren gushed enthusiastically as she and Bo strolled hand in hand down the walkway overlooking the falls.

"And you have the blue tongue to prove it!" Bo teased flirtatiously. Lauren crossed her eyes and poked her electric blue tongue out at her girlfriend. She had expected some giggles in response, but instead was surprised when Bo quickly leaned in and took possession of her cold, berry flavored tongue, sucking it into her mouth to steal a luscious kiss. The two lovers stopped in their tracks as they got lost in each other; but they snapped back to reality when they were interrupted by loud catcalls and whistles. Annoyed, they turned in the direction of the noise and saw two young frat-boy types leaning against the railing, howling and making crude gestures.

"Hey, baby," called the blonde on the left as he grabbed his crotch. "You gimme som'a that tongue action, I'll give ya som'a this!"

"Hey Miss Leather Dyke, does your girlfriend's carpet match her drapes?" shouted the backwards-ball-cap-wearing douchebag on the right. He then made a series of smacking noises and waved his tongue around lewdly.

"Oh for fuck's sake…" grumbled Bo. "I haven't had to deal with dickhead 'phobes in a long time. I guess the big city spoiled me. And they sure as shit have no idea what an actual leather dyke is!"

"Just ignore them," groaned Lauren. "Though you have to admit, wearing leather pants and a bustier in 80 degree weather does make you stand out in a crowd."

Bo snorted and rolled her eyes. "I've never heard you complaining."

"Honey if you're willing to put up with the extreme heat, I am more than willing to put up with your extreme hotness." Lauren winked and began to lead her girlfriend away in the opposite direction, but Bo stopped her.

"Hang on sweetie…what's the point of being a succubus if you can't have a little fun putting assholes in their place? Follow me."

Lauren gaped at Bo as she walked slowly, with an exaggerated sway to her hips, toward the sexually frustrated man-children. _Oh shit, what is she up to?_

"Hey boys…you enjoying the show?" Before they could answer, Bo touched each Neanderthal on the arm and sent a thralling pulse of energy into them. They both stood there dumbly, nodding their heads up and down. "Can we borrow your phones?"

Both men dug into their pockets and produced a smartphone. Bo nodded at Lauren to take the phones while she continued to hold the men in her grasp. "You guys are so hot…for each other!" Lauren's eyes bulged out and she almost dropped her snow cone. _Oh Bo, you are so wonderfully evil._

"You two gorgeous hunks of man meat are so horny that you are going to give us a little show and make out in front of the falls. It'll be so romantic! Now go get 'em tiger!"

The two hilariously enthralled homophobes lunged at each other, their tongues tangling together as they passionately devoured each other.

"Quick, Lo, it's time for their photo shoot!" Lauren finally caught up as to why Bo made them hand over their phones. With a devilish grin, Lauren handed one of the phones to Bo and they got busy opening up the camera apps. Giggling loudly all the way, they took several pictures of the amorous frat-boys, including one aimed at their crotches, offering proof that they were _really_ enjoying it. Bo paused taking pictures and brought up the email app. "Ok babe, time to send their friends a little postcard from the falls."

"Here, you do it, I only have one hand." Lauren struggled to speak through her laughter. Bo finished with the first phone and took the second from Lauren.

"There, now these two jokers have sent pictures of their honeymoon triste to everyone in their phone books." Bo and Lauren howled with laughter. The entire scene was attracting quite an audience. Bo took a moment to dig out her own phone and caught a few more images of the frisky couple.

"Ok, our work here is done." Bo smirked. She tapped the men on the shoulders. "Hey guys, thanks for letting us use your phones." She handed the dazed men their phones, turned back toward Lauren, and lead her girlfriend away from the small circus they created. As they disappeared into the crowd, linked arm in arm, they heard a loud scuffle and an angry desperate cry, "Dude, what the _FUCK_!?"

Bo and Lauren were getting lightheaded after several minutes of uncontrolled laughter. "Now Bo," Lauren said with mock authority, "that was an inappropriate and cruel abuse of your power." She burst into giggles and added, "And it was fucking _brilliant_!"

"God I love you!" Bo's heartfelt sentiment just spontaneously bubbled up from amidst a fit of infectious laughter.

"You're adorable!" Lauren giggled. She tossed the remaining half-melted snow cone in a trashcan, then turned and enveloped Bo in her arms and gave her a soft tender kiss. "And I love you too."

Bo flashed Lauren a radiant smile. "You wanna sit?" Lauren nodded and Bo led her over to a vacant bench. They sat staring out at the falls, holding hands and occasionally exchanging flirtatious glances.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" asked Lauren, as her gaze panned across the awesome display of nature. Her face brightened more as she was taken in by the beauty of the rainbow that formed where the sunlight hit the mist.

"Breathtaking," Bo agreed, but she wasn't looking at the falls. She was watching Lauren watching the falls, and the view was utterly captivating. Bo caught a stray lock of Lauren's hair and tucked it behind her ear, which was when Lauren realized that Bo had been staring at her the whole time.

Lauren caressed Bo's cheek, with her eyes and heart full of devotion. "It's such a privilege to behold such a powerfully beautiful, timeless creation of nature."

Bo closed her eyes and pressed her cheek into Lauren's palm, and then brought her girlfriend's hand to her lips and kissed it. "Trust me, the privilege is all mine."

After a comfortable amount of time just silently enjoying the falls and each other, Bo asked, "Are you ready to do something to beat the heat? I'm thinking that cheesy wax museum must have really good air conditioning!"

Lauren chuckled good-naturedly. "Sure, what the hell. We must do our part to support the local tourism economy, no matter how creepy it is. Besides, I'm more interested in the company than the attraction."

"But I thought _I_ was the attraction!" Bo teased.

"You, my love, are devastatingly _attractive_, but not an attraction – not unless you're giving thrill rides to tourists. But in that case you need to install handrails and safety straps." Lauren deadpanned, with a mirthful twinkle in her eyes.

Bo giggled and rolled her eyes. "You are such a dork. A sexy dork, but a dork."

"_Your_ sexy dork. And as we have already established in the handbook of succubus monogamy, the only one who gets to ride you is _me_."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, babe."


	20. Future Fears at the Falls

Four hours and several silly tourist traps later, Bo and Lauren were taking their dinner on the patio of the Edgewater Grill. The temperature had dropped to a more comfortable level and they were still close enough to see and hear the falls.

"Bo, this has been the best day I've had in years. It was an awesome idea." Lauren took a sip of her iced tea and sighed wistfully. "You know, I've never had this much time in one stretch where I completely forgot about the Fae and their control over my life. You can't imagine how much that means to me. Thank you so much for making it happen, babe."

Bo reached across the table to hold her girlfriend's hand. "And you can't imagine how happy it makes me just to see you happy." Both women wore beaming smiles as they got lost in each other's sparkling eyes for several moments. After a final affectionate squeeze, they released their hands to resume eating.

For the rest of their meal, Bo and Lauren engaged in light-hearted small talk and flirtatious banter. But as they waited for the check to arrive, Bo's giddy mood became more introspective. She reached out to hold Lauren's hand again. "Sweetie, I am so glad that we've had this time off together. Despite all the emotional upheaval, having the time to just focus on being a couple has been a wonderful luxury. I just hate that it took you getting attacked for us to finally have some real quality time."

"I feel the same way, Bo." Lauren replied sincerely. "Although being attacked wasn't one of the highlights, I'm more regretful that it took me trying to run away in order to get where we are now. But after all we've been through these last five days, I feel closer to you than ever before." Lauren's voice began to waiver, but she pressed on. "I'm so sorry I gave up so easily, but I'm so grateful that you didn't. You kept fighting for us even when I couldn't, and that means everything to me."

Before Bo could respond, her phone beeped signaling that she just received a text. She hesitated briefly, but then decided to ignore it for the time being since she and her girlfriend were having 'a moment.'

"_You_ mean everything to me, Lo. Thank you so much for giving us a second chance." Bo eyes started to water slightly, so before she became too emotional, she added with an impish grin, "but I knew I'd wear you down eventually. I can be _very_ stubborn when properly motivated."

"No argument there." Lauren giggled, accompanied by her patented eye roll. "You should check that text, it might be important."

"Fine," Bo sighed. "but if it's not life or death, I'll deal with it tomorrow and my official story will be that I accidentally had the volume off." When she pulled out her phone, her heart stopped. It was Hale.

"_its done. dont tell her yet. call me when u r alone_"

Bo's breath hitched and she felt like she was going to faint_. Oh my god...It's done? Does he really mean…? _She was suddenly aware that Lauren was looking at her quizzically. She tried to rein in her shocked elation and appear as casual as possible. "Oh it's just Kenzi. She wants us to bring her some fudge." _Was that convincing?_ Bo typed a quick reply.

"_with her now. will call l8r_."

Bo remained so stunned she couldn't speak, but before Lauren could notice her change in demeanor, they were interrupted by a line of rhythmically clapping servers passing by their table. The server in front was carrying two pieces of cake, each speared by a fiery sizzling sparkler.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Please give a round of applause to Ira and Sheila Scheinberg, who are celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary here at the Edgewater!"

The large patio of restaurant guests cheered and clapped as a beaming elderly couple was served their sparkling desserts. Bo, having snapped out of her bewildered daze, watched them with rapt attention, her heart pleasantly fluttering as she watched the happy twosome boisterously soaking up the attention. The crowd whooped and hooted enthusiastically when the white-haired Scheinbergs leaned in to share a sweet but chaste kiss.

"Aren't they adorable?" Bo smiled dreamily. "It's a beautiful thing to see a couple so in love after all those years. It just makes me feel all warm and gooey inside!" She was overcome with sentimentality, thinking of her own beloved and the better future they might have in light of Hale's news. Everything in her world was falling into place.

"Well you've always been a hopeless romantic."

"And you love it!"

"I love everything about you, Bo. I always will." Lauren said softly. Bo smiled at her girlfriend's touching declaration, but she thought she detected a slight sadness in Lauren's tone.

* * *

"Lo, sweetie? Is something bothering you? You've been kind of quiet ever since we left the restaurant." Bo put her arm around Lauren's shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze. They were out by the falls again, leaning on the railing watching the colored lights that were projected on the falls when the sun went down.

"Oh I'm sorry, Bo! I didn't mean to be. This has been such a wonderful day with you." She gave Bo a quick kiss on the cheek. "But I guess I've been a little lost in thought."

"Care to share?"

Lauren sighed. She really didn't want to be a downer after such a terrific day. _Well this is supposed to be what a relationship is all about – communication and honesty._ "I can't stop thinking about that couple at the restaurant."

"The fiftieth anniversary couple? What about them? Other than their inspirational cuteness?" Bo bumped her hip into Lauren's and returned a kiss to her cheek.

"It's just…we can never have that." Lauren replied, her voice distant.

Bo frowned and delicately asked, "You don't think we'll last? Is that not what you want?" She held her breath, slightly afraid of her girlfriend's answer.

"Of course it's what I want." She took a deep breath before continuing in a timid, resigned voice. "But we can never grow old together. In less than twenty years I'll be old enough to be your mother."

"No, in twenty years you're going to be four years older than me, just as you are now. And just like you, twenty years from now I will have had twenty more years of life experience, and hopefully some more wisdom as well. Time doesn't stand still for me, Lauren."

"You know what I mean, Bo. You won't age physically. What do we tell people when I'm gray and wrinkled and you barely look a day over twenty-five? That you're my daughter? Or my _grand_daughter?" Lauren's eyes started to water; her fears feeling all the more overwhelming now that she was saying it out loud. "And how can you even want to sleep in the same bed with a shriveled up old woman who's exchanged her sexuality for dentures and incontinence? I've had to accept that I can't give you enough chi to sustain you, but eventually I won't be able to provide for your sexual needs either. If you stay with me into old age, the entire nature of our relationship will eventually change into something else."

Bo turned away from the railing so she could put both arms around her girlfriend. "Ok. I can't say I haven't thought about it. Honestly, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I could live for over a thousand years. The only way I've been able to make sense of it is to think of it as having many lives, not just one inconceivably long one."

"Like a Valkyrie."

"What's Tamsin have to do with anything?"

"Valkyries live several lives; they die and get reborn. They get their wings during their last life."

"Wow. That's a nifty trick. I wonder if Tamsin will still be a colossal bitch in her next life. But I digress…" Bo was pleased when she made Lauren giggle slightly. "So anyway, right now I'm living my first life. And I want to live it with you. The entire messy _human_ experience, which includes aging. Couples grow old together all the time, Lo. And some even manage to have a pretty good sex life." She grinned slyly as Lauren rolled her eyes. "Despite what their bodies look like, they're still _in love_, not just buddies or roommates. Don't get me wrong – you're out of this world beautiful, but do you think I just love you for your body? Do you think I'm that shallow?"

"Of course not, not when you say it like that. But the truth is you are an extremely sexual being by design, much more so than the average human."

"Lauren, baby, you should know by now that I am not exactly what I was 'designed' to be. I have always refused to be defined by my biology. Succubi can't be monogamous, succubi are amoral, succubi don't need love. That's not who I am."

Lauren's only response was to simply bury her face in Bo's shoulder and give herself over to her silent sobs. Bo squeezed her tighter and lovingly stroked her hair. "You know, I've actually thought about trying to find some kind of witchy-type Fae who could put a glamor on me so I could gradually look older over the next sixty years or so. Something I can deactivate when I'm out kicking ass," she smirked, "but I would use it whenever I was with you. But I promise I won't go anywhere near the Norn!"

Lauren tearfully chuckled into Bo's shoulder. "Please tell me you're joking!" When Bo didn't respond, Lauren lifted her head to look at her girlfriend. "You can't be serious. That's insane. Why would anyone want to look old voluntarily? Besides, you shouldn't try to be less than you are just to make me feel better."

"Aging isn't 'less,' it's human. Lauren, if you came up with a magic pill to make me human, I'd take it in an instant."

"Don't say that! I would _never_ want you to sacrifice more than a millennium of living just so you can hang out with me for fifty years!" Lauren paused for a brief moment and shrugged. "It would be better if I figured out a treatment to become Fae instead."

"Oh baby," Bo gently scolded, "don't you think for a minute that there's something deficient about you! You don't need special powers. You are awesome the way you are and you should be proud of your humanity."

"Bo, if it was actually possible, I don't really care so much about powers, it's just about lifespan. Not only would it suck to be the only one to grow old, but," She smiled coyly. "I guess I'm jealous of all the lovers you will have in your very long future. But then again you might get tired of me after the first hundred years." Lauren smirked self-deprecatingly.

"Never." Bo insisted. "I certainly won't say no if you want to try, but I would hate for you to feel like you have to in order for me to love you when you get older."

"Ok, I'll tell you what," Lauren conceded, rolling her eyes. "If in fifteen years or so, if I haven't found a way to increase my lifespan, you can go looking for a glamor and we'll see how it goes."

"Deal!" Bo chuckled.

"Although I still think a glamor seems silly. You wouldn't actually age and decline, it would just be like a costume."

Bo's expression softened as she spoke with tenderness, "It's not silly if it allows me to at least partially share a major life experience with you. It's not silly if it helps you to not feel so alone as we get older. It's not silly if it helps me to be closer to you. It's not silly if it helps me remind you that you'll be beautiful to me no matter what your age." Bo's tone turned flirtatious. "And it will really come in handy for avoiding those awkward stares in the grocery store where you say something adorable while picking out melons and I just can't help but grab you and kiss you senseless right there in the produce section."

Lauren burst out in laughter despite her tears, eliciting a huge grin from Bo. "On the other hand," Bo mused, "two little old ladies kissing will still probably get us some stares, but at least it will be because of our extreme cuteness."

Splotchy-faced and giggling, Lauren put her hands behind Bo's head and pulled her closer. "I never knew it was possible to love someone so much." Then she captured Bo's lips in her own.

After a couple of minutes of gentle kissing, they pulled back slightly and just stood there holding each other, with their eyes closed and their foreheads touching, as they listened to the hypnotic rushing of the falls.

Several minutes later, they suddenly heard someone clear their throat. "Um, uh, excuse me? Sorry to bother you um…" Both women held their embrace, but turned their heads in annoyance toward the stranger, fully expecting to tell the nosy homophobe to fuck off. What they saw instead was two young women holding hands, one with tattoos and combat boots, the other with blue hair and several facial piercings.

"Hi, um, we couldn't help but notice that you uh," stammered the girl with the tattoos, "you were having uh, a romantic moment, and we were wondering if you'd like us to take a picture of you in front of the falls? And then would you take a picture of us? Oh, and uh, this is my girlfriend Shiloh and I'm MacKenzie."

Bo and Lauren were immediately charmed. "Mackenzie? Great name. My best friend is named MacKenzie, but she goes by Kenzi. I'm Bo, by the way. And this is my girlfriend Lauren." The four women exchanged friendly handshakes and then Bo and Mackenzie pulled up their camera apps and swapped phones.

After both couples had pictures taken of several poses, they said their good-byes and went their separate ways. Bo and Lauren decided to start the long walk back to the car. "That was so sweet." said Lauren as she linked her hand with Bo's.

"I know! It was a nice surprise – I thought we were about to deal with someone who had a problem with us. And instead they're this cute little baby dyke couple. And we got some great super romantic pictures."

"Hmm… 'leather dyke,' 'baby dyke,' and 'baby butch.' You're coming along well with your lesbian cultural studies. I'm so proud." Lauren teased.

"Yes, I've been working on the jargon. So what are we? Lipstick lesbians?" Bo playfully mused. "Of course my lesbian status is honorary due to my relationship."

"Hmmm…I suppose. But to be more specific, my personal style is somewhere between chapstick lesbian and lipstick lesbian," Bo burst into giggles at Lauren's description. "And you, my dear, your style is somewhere between high femme…and dominatrix!" The couple's giggles turned to guffaws as they linked arms around each other's waists and strolled down the promenade, serenaded by the soothing roar of Niagara Falls.


	21. The Final Countdown

"Hey Hale, sorry to call so late, but I spent the day with Lauren and didn't have a chance to get away. She's in the shower now so I have just a few minutes. Did your text mean what I think it means?" Bo blurted out in a rush.

"Yes Bo," Hale chuckled. "There was some grumbling amongst the Elders, but you were right, they didn't even know that Nadia was cursed! They bought the same bullshit story that the Ash told Lauren. And Lachlan never told them either. And they were certainly not happy that the old Ash conspired with a Dark Fae. Frankly, those crusty old farts were probably more upset and embarrassed about that than the injustice done to a human. But whatever, it still works out in our favor. So anyway, it was agreed that the contract was fraudulent."

"Holy shit, Hale!" Her heart started racing for the second time since she got the news. "I feel like my head is gonna explode!" Bo's voice waivered slightly. "It's just hard to believe this day has finally come. So when can we tell her?"

"It was supposed to be done by the end of business today, but the legal team still has to finish some of the paperwork. But I'm going to make some calls tomorrow morning because if the final copy is just sitting on someone's desk then I'll go pick it up myself instead of waiting for a courier to bring it on Monday.

"Legal paperwork? It's supposed to be unconditional!" Bo protested, suddenly worried that Lauren would still be in the Fae's grasp in some way.

"Now hang on Bo. It's virtually unconditional, there are just a couple disclosures to sign. One states that she will be subject to Fae law in the event she deliberately exposes the Fae to humans or otherwise acts to harm the Fae. Which I know isn't really an issue with Lauren, but the Elders insisted it be put in writing. The other disclosure simply states that the amount of protection we can provide is dependent on where she chooses to live, but it is still her choice to make."

"Alright I guess those are understandable."

"I really hope she chooses to live somewhere with more rather than less protection. Not only will it allow us to more easily come to her aid, but it makes it much less likely that the Dark would try to mess with her."

"Yeah, I'd rather her have more protection too, but it's her choice. God Hale, how am I supposed to keep this secret for another day? Or two? I feel like I'm gonna faint."

"Just breathe, you'll be fine. It might not even be that long – but you'll be the first to know. Oh and another thing. As you suggested, we're going to make her a job offer, so there's paperwork for that too. She doesn't have to make a decision right away. She should have plenty of time to review the proposed contract."

"That's awesome, Hale. Although," Bo chuckled, "if she does want the job, I think she might want an extended vacation first!"

Bo thought she actually heard him smile. "Yeah, I would imagine she does! Oh but there's one other thing. Just so you know, in case I don't continue to be the Ash, no future Ash has the power to reverse her release. Once that's done it's done. But I can't guarantee that a future Ash won't be an ass and rescind the order of protection or not renew her job contract. I honestly think that's unlikely because Lauren has a long history of being a very valuable asset, so it's in The Light's best interest to treat her right. Not to mention that she has treated a few of the Elders who wouldn't want to lose their personal physician. But if she were ever to go unprotected, at the very least you know that Trick, Dyson, and I will have her back."

"Hale there are just no words to express how grateful I am. And you know I will always have your back too." Bo's eyes had started to water. "God, I think I might cry and blow my cover!" She chuckled.

"Keep it together, girl." He smiled playfully on the other end of the line. "Well I'll let you get back to your girl. I'll call and arrange a meeting as soon as I can get the paperwork back, otherwise we'll have to wait for Monday. But until then, keep it under wraps, ok?"

"Ok. Oh, can I be at the meeting when you tell her? I have to be able to see her reaction!"

"Oh sure, it goes without saying. The meeting will be for both of you."

"Great. Oh, and one more thing, Make sure you have a full box of tissues on your desk before we get there!"

Hale chuckled, "Consider it done."

"Ok I gotta go now. Thanks again, Hale, so much."

"Catcha later Bo."

* * *

Having just stepped out of the shower, Lauren stood at her bedroom door, wrapped in a towel with another wound around her head. She was mesmerized by the exquisite vision of Bo seductively reclining on the bed, gloriously nude. "Wow. I was disappointed when we showered separately, but if I knew what was waiting for me I would have finished sooner." Lauren stared in awe, as if seeing her girlfriend for the first time. "My god, you're beautiful."

"I never get tired of hearing you say that, babe. Ever since you told me on the day we met, it has never failed to give me chills."

"I gave you chills that first time?" Lauren asked gleefully, as she strolled toward the bed.

"Oh yeah. But it also might have had to do with your fingertips skimming over my naked back – and ass – during that oh-so-professional exam."

"I still can't believe I did that!" Lauren chuckled exasperatedly, as she sat on the bed. "Trust me, I have _never_ been anything less than professionally clinical when examining patients." She trailed a fingertip from the side of Bo's knee up to her hip. "But you just came along and totally melted my brain!"

Bo closed her eyes and shivered from Lauren's teasing touch. "mmm…Well, it's only fair, Doctor, because that's when you just came along and totally melted my heart."

Lauren took the towel off her head and started rubbing it vigorously through her wet hair. "Bo, my love, you are the most romantic person I've ever met." She then playfully smacked Bo with the wet towel. "And the cheesiest!"

"Well it's all your fault! You activated the cheesy romantic gene when you taught me how to not kill everyone I slept with. 'Cause ya' know, being a sexual serial killer pretty much puts a damper on warm fuzzy feelings. But seriously," Bo stroked her thumb over Lauren's cheek. "It took me awhile to figure it out, but that's where it started – you got under my skin the moment we met."

"So it was love at first sight for both of us? That's so amazing, baby," Lauren sighed melodramatically and stood up from the bed, "and it only took us two years to get our shit together and become a couple!" she teased. "Now, speaking of skin…" She whipped off her towel and flung it into the hamper, posing proudly for Bo's benefit.

"Oooh, baby!" Bo's eyes feasted on her girlfriend's naked flesh and she licked her lips obscenely. "Come to bed, lover."

* * *

Bo and Lauren had been thoroughly exhausted from their day at the falls and their subsequent night in Lauren's bed, so the two lovers slept past noon the next day. Taking advantage of Lauren's better equipped kitchen, the couple decided to stay in for a leisurely brunch. They were reveling in domesticity; Bo prepared coffee and cinnamon raisin bagels while Lauren stood over a hot skillet, tending to a luxurious frittata.

"Have I ever told you how much I love cooking with you?" asked Bo, as she buttered a bagel and slid it into the toaster oven.

"Really? I just figured you didn't like to cook since you and Kenzi only seem to eat pizza and takeout."

"It's Kenzi who doesn't cook. I know how to cook – you like my eggplant parm. I was brought up a country girl, and mom taught me well. I actually won a prize for my peach cobbler!"

"Oh my god, you're kidding!" Lauren squealed and giggled. "Could you be any more adorable? …or sexier? I can just see you in a red and white gingham apron...mmm…and _only_ an apron." She reached out for Bo's hips and pulled her into a lingering kiss. "We need to get you in the kitchen more often."

"I'd love to. But I'll only cook the good stuff for you." Bo held Lauren in a loose embrace. "And don't you dare let it slip about my cobbler! I have a bad-ass reputation to uphold, you know!"

"You are definitely making your cobbler for me." By now the couple was gently swaying. Lauren cooed in a sing-song voice, "Because you know how much 'I love to eat your peaches,'" Lauren leaned in for a steamy kiss, tugging on Bo's bottom lip and sliding her tongue in to join Bo's in a sensuous lingual dance.

"Mmm…and you 'wanna shake my tree?'" Bo responded, breathily singing the familiar lyrics as they swayed.

"All the time, baby." Lauren kissed up Bo's neck and jaw and lightly nibbled an earlobe. "That's why I'm 'the gangster of love.'"

Bo pulled back and smirked, "And just what the hell is the 'pompitous of love,' anyway?"

Both women dissolved into a fit of giggles. Soon Lauren groaned, "oh god could we be any more syrupy?" She laid her head on Bo's shoulder as they just stood holding each other. "Did you know that kd lang did a cover of that song? _Much_ sexier than Steve Miller Band."

"Oooh…that needs to go on my ipod."

With a loving pat on Bo's back, Lauren gently pulled away to turn off the stove and move the skillet to a cool burner. "So reputation aside, why did you stop cooking?"

"I think it just became a habit to do whatever was quick and easy. And when you spend ten years on the run, quick and easy is sort of necessary. Most of the time, I didn't even have a kitchen. But even now, I'm always on the go, in and out at weird hours, and I don't have a whole lot of kitchen stuff." Bo wrapped her arms around Lauren from behind and looked over her shoulder as Lauren filled up two plates. "But when I'm with you, it feels so good to take the extra time and effort to make the little things in life special. Like breakfast."

"Like you." Lauren turned her head so she could steal a quick kiss from her girlfriend. "Because everything is special when I'm with you."

Bo turned Lauren around to face her. "Aw, flattery will get you everywhere, babe." Bo gave a kiss in return, but let it linger. "Mmmm… even _cheesy_ flattery!"

"Hey, I thought we already established that you're the cheesy one!"

"Not by the looks of that omelet. That's all you, babe."

"It's a frittata."

"And it's cheesy."

"Shut up and pour me some orange juice. And your bagels are burning."

"Shit."

* * *

As they were clearing away the dishes, Bo froze when they heard Lauren's familiar ringtone. Lauren went to grab her phone off the coffee table. "It's Hale. I wonder what he wants on a Saturday? Because I _so_ don't want to work this weekend."

"Hey, Hale. What's up?"

"Sorry to bother you Lauren, but something's come up and I need you to come in today."

Lauren looked over at Bo and waved her arms angrily, and scowled while mouthing, "Fuck!" exasperatedly. Bo just looked back with an amused grin.

"Is there a medical emergency?"

"No, but it's important and I didn't want to wait. And I need you at my office, not the lab."

"Oh. Um, what time?"

"How soon can you be here?"

"Is forty-five minutes ok?"

"That will be fine. And bring Bo with you."

"Ok. Hale, what's this about?"

"I'll give you all the details when you get here. See you soon."

Lauren stood puzzled for a moment before she even realized Hale had hung up. "What the hell was that about?"

"What is it, babe?"

"Hale wants to meet with us ASAP, but he wouldn't say what for. He was all cryptic and just said it was important. Shit, there goes the weekend."

"We don't know if it's necessarily time consuming, he just said important." Bo continued to play dumb while inside she was about to explode with joyful anticipation. This was it. It was finally happening.

Lauren sighed, not sharing Bo's positive attitude. "Well we better get moving. I told him we'd be there within the hour. You can have the first shower if you want."

"Maybe we should share to save time." Bo suggested with a sly smile.

"You're kidding, right?" Lauren chuckled. "Since when has showering together ever saved time? It's pretty much a guarantee that we'd stay in there till the water ran cold."

Bo smirked, "Ok, fine. Can't blame a girl for trying." She gave Lauren a quick peck on the cheek and headed for the stairs.


	22. Paradigm Shift

A/N: Hello, dear readers! This is the chapter you've been waiting for. This could easily have been written to be the big finish of the story, but rest assured there are a few chapters left! Thanks again for reading! :-)

* * *

"Hello ladies! Thanks for coming on such short notice. Come, have a seat."

"What's going on, Hale? Why the suspense?"

"It's just something better discussed face to face. It's about your service contract."

Lauren's face fell. "You mean my indentured servitude?" The bitter remark was out before Lauren could censor herself. "Sorry."

Hale looked at her sympathetically. "Nah, don't worry about it. It's an accurate description. So listen, I'll just get right to the point. After a thorough investigation into the validity of your terms of servitude, it's been determined that your contract is null and void."

The color immediately drained from Lauren's face as she stared at Hale with wide eyes, tensely frozen in her seat. Her breathing sped up and became more and more shallow. Her throat painfully tightened as she tried to speak. "What does that mean?"

"Since Nadia was cursed and not sick, the original contract was fraudulent. Since you feared for Nadia's life, you signed a contract based on false pretenses while under duress. And it was only recently discovered that the old Ash acted alone. The Elders didn't know about the curse. They thought Nadia was sick just as you did. And they were not happy about the Ash conspiring with a Dark Fae. Obviously, the Fae are not known for their compassion for humans, but even the Elders couldn't deny the –" Hale shot Bo a knowing look, "overwhelming and embarrassing evidence."

Lauren's eyes had become glassy with unshed tears and she was hyperventilating and shaking. "But…but I recommitted to Lachlan." Her strained voice was barely a whisper.

"Yes, but that agreement was based on false pretenses as well."

"But he saved Nadia."

"Actually he didn't. It was just another manipulation to extort your servitude."

"What? But…how? Who lifted the curse?"

Hale didn't respond immediately, but he looked at Bo, silently encouraging her to tell Lauren herself. Bo slowly got up, knelt in front of her girlfriend and took Lauren's hands in hers. "It was me, baby. I found the nail and pulled it out."

Lauren's pale face had turned red and splotchy as her tears finally spilled down her cheeks. "I don't understand…how could…but the…?" She was too overcome to string together full sentences.

"Magical Fae travel agent. Instantly transported me to the Congo, and Madagascar, and back again. Just like Star Trek, baby." Bo gently caressed Lauren's cheek. "I was only gone for a couple hours." Lauren was too stunned to pick up on Bo's nod to her inner geek, but she would laugh about it later.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Lachlan said the curse could only be broken by a selfless act and that I couldn't ever tell you. I don't know if that's true, but either way Lachlan used that to his advantage to get you to recommit. It broke my heart when I found out, but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to risk putting Nadia back in the coma. And after she died, I didn't see any point in adding to your pain. I just couldn't bear the thought of telling you that you signed your life away for nothing."

"You saved her… _You_ saved her. You saved her even…though we…"

"It hurt so much to lose you, baby! But saving her was the right thing to do. What they did to her was barbaric. And I also wanted you to be happy, even if I couldn't have you."

"Oh god, Bo!" Lauren was finally overcome by heavy sobs. Bo immediately reached up to pull her into a hug, as Hale came out from behind his desk to offer Lauren some tissues.

"Shhh…It's ok baby, it's ok. I love you."

It took several minutes for Lauren's sobbing to slow down enough to speak. "So what now? It's over? It's really over?"

"This is your official copy of the declaration of your release from servitude, effective immediately." He handed the parchment to Lauren, who took it with shaking hands. It was a short document, and she just kept reading the words over and over while her hyperventilating returned. It was real. It was right there in black and white.

Bo stood up and moved her chair closer to Lauren so she could sit and still be able to reach her girlfriend. Bo held Lauren's hand as she kept staring at the document in the other.

"Bo it's real... It says I'm free. Bo is this real?" Lauren looked helplessly at Bo, needing confirmation she wasn't imagining it.

"It's real baby. See it has Hale's signature and the Elders' seal. You're free baby."

"Is…is there a catch?" She looked pleadingly at Hale.

"No catch, not really. However there are two disclosures you need to read and sign – simply to acknowledge that you read them." He pulled a couple of papers off of his desk. "This first one states that even though you are no longer bound by the Ash, you will still be held accountable under Fae law in regards to exposing us to humans or any other acts harmful to the Fae. Lauren, as your friend, I know you don't have malicious intentions, you just want the freedom you deserve. But this is a necessary formality."

"Ok. That sounds reasonable – but I don't want to sign anything right away because I feel like my head is going to explode so I don't feel very clear minded."

"That's perfectly fine. I know this is a lot to take in. Now the second disclosure is in regards to your continued protection by the Ash."

"Protection? I don't understand. So this release is conditional? Am I still a subject of the Ash?"

"No, no nothing like that. Lauren, you have been a tremendous asset to the Light and you also know a lot of sensitive information. We don't want that to make you a target. It's our intention to still provide assistance to protect you from any and all Fae that might mean you harm. The disclosure we want you to sign is simply an acknowledgement that you understand that the level of protection we can provide will be dependent on where you choose to live. I'm assuming you would like to move out of the compound eventually. You have the freedom to move about and live where you wish and we will help you to the best of our abilities. But, for example, if you live in Dark Fae territory, we can't do much to help. If you move far away, we can't guarantee the cooperation of other Light Fae clans to assist. So we just want you to be able to make an informed decision when the time comes."

"Ok I guess that makes sense. So I can take these home and study them before I sign?"

"Absolutely."

Bo was finally overcome by her own emotions. "Hale, I can't thank you enough for making this happen. It means everything to us." She grabbed a tissue to wipe her eyes. "And I believe I owe you a signature."

"Bo, what are you talking about? What are you signing?"

Bo squeezed Lauren's hand reassuringly. "Don't be upset babe. Believe me, this is so, so worth it. I'm joining the Light Fae."

"Bo!" Lauren gasped in horror. "That's why they're letting me go? Because you made a deal? No, Bo I can't let you do this! Choosing a side is against everything you stand for. I wouldn't be able to live with myself!"

"No, sweetie it's ok. I gave this a lot of thought. My allegiance to the Light is trivial compared to your enslavement to them. I'm totally at peace with my decision. Your freedom means _everything_ to me. I want to do this."

"Actually, Bo," Hale cleared his throat, "I didn't mention your offer when I made my case to the Elders."

"What?"

"The Elders would never admit it, but your unaligned status has actually benefited the Light Fae. Your ability to move freely amongst Light and Dark puts you in a unique and useful position. Look at what you accomplished when we fought the Garuda. No one else would have been able to enlist the Dark's cooperation. Besides, you have already demonstrated an unofficial loyalty to the Light. Even when you have disagreed with the Light, you have never favored the Dark instead. And your real loyalties lie with your friends and family, several of whom are Light Fae. The Light doesn't have your unconditional allegiance, but you have been a valuable ally whenever it was of your own choosing. And I would like it to stay that way. Your independence is one of your greatest strengths. So there will be no declaration to sign today."

Bo was beyond stunned. "Thank you, Hale." She choked out. "There are no words to describe how grateful I am."

"How grateful we both are." Added Lauren, as she tightened her grip on Bo's hand and brought it up to her lips to kiss her knuckles.

"Trust me, there's no need to be. It was long overdue. And I'm ashamed I didn't fight for you sooner Lauren. But luckily a very strong and passionate woman helped me find my courage." Lauren watched in awe as he smiled at Bo, who actually blushed at the compliment. "And Lauren, it is the Light Fae who owe _you_ a huge debt of gratitude. Your contributions to the health and survival of the Fae are immeasurable. Which brings us to this," He opened a folder and took out another document. "This is your restitution settlement. It can't make up for all you have suffered, but it should be of help as you begin to take control of your own life again. The only condition is that you keep the terms confidential."

"Restitution?" Lauren's voice was timid and childlike, and she sounded as if she didn't even know the definition of the word.

"What are you talking about, Hale?" demanded Bo.

"Here, take a look for yourself." He handed Lauren the document and Bo craned her neck to look at it over her girlfriend's shoulder.

Lauren took a long hard stare at the paper before she found her voice again. "Hale is this some kind of joke?"

"No, not at all. For each year of forced service, you've been awarded $250,000 in compensatory damages and $800,000 in punitive damages."

"Are you shitting us?" Bo checked the numbers on the document again. "That's….6.3 million dollars!" She turned to Lauren. "Baby I had no idea about this. This is all his doing. Hale how in the hell did you pull this off?" She couldn't take her eyes off the document, scanning it over and over in disbelief.

"I guess I have some influence after all." Hale slightly bowed his head and smiled self-deprecatingly. "If you like, I can also recommend an excellent financial planner."

Lauren suddenly started sobbing again, but within several seconds it morphed into maniacal laughter. She was finally coming unhinged by the abrupt shift in her reality.

"Baby, you ok?" Bo put her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders. She couldn't tell if Lauren's laughter was a good thing or not.

Lauren just kept laughing like a woman possessed. "He wants to recommend a financial planner. For me. The slave. Who just won the fucking lottery!" she cackled shrilly.

"No Lauren, you didn't win anything – you earned every penny and then some!" chuckled Hale. "There is still one more thing to discuss before I send you off to enjoy your first weekend of freedom."

Lauren's laughter had finally calmed down to small fits of tearful giggles. She took several deep breaths. "Ok, what is it?"

"I know you're going to need some time to regroup and plan your next move. A whole world of possibilities has just opened up for you. You have every reason to say 'fuck the Fae' and take the money and run. But if you're interested, now or in the future, as long as I'm the Ash your position will be open for you to reclaim if you so choose. The difference of course being that you would receive the appropriate compensation and respect befitting the Chief Medical Officer and Director of Research."

"Did you seriously just offer me a _job_?" asked Lauren incredulously, with a hint of ironic laughter.

"Yes. You are invaluable to the Light Fae, and because of thousands of years of bigotry, you were never treated with the kindness and respect you so richly deserve. But if your scientific interests ever make you consider working with the Fae again, I would love a chance to right that wrong. I can't make all of the Fae suddenly put their prejudices aside overnight, but I can start by setting the example myself. The subjugation of humans has got to stop, but it will take time for that idea to affect the culture at large, but I would like to start with you. I wish you the best and hope you can find your own happiness, but I also hope that someday you might give the Fae another chance. So I have a job proposal here," He opened up another folder and produced several papers. "and a tentative contract, all of which is negotiable. This is not a contract of indefinite servitude. It is a contract of the terms of employment that may be renewed, renegotiated, or rejected at regular intervals – annually, or semiannually, or biennially, whatever you choose. All I ask is that you consider this proposal among your many choices for your future."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything right now. I understand you have a lot to process. But for now, just take all your paperwork home and study it at your leisure. When you are ready I will need your signature on the disclosure forms and the confidentiality agreement for your restitution settlement. And feel free to ask me any questions that come up. And there's no rush to leave the compound, the apartment is yours as long as you need it. I know that packing and moving can be stressful and I want you to have time to find a place you really want to move to, not just what is expedient. Now," He extended his hand for a shake but dropped his formal attitude. "Get out of here and go have some fun, girl!"

Lauren, clearly still in shock, numbly shook Hales hand. "Thank you. I think I'll do just that."

"Come on baby, let's go home. Time to celebrate your freedom." Bo placed a quick kiss on her girlfriend's lips. Lauren grabbed a folder and gathered up her paperwork and she and Bo stood and turned to leave.

"Oh and one more thing…" said Hale, walking over to Lauren. "You won't be needing that pendant anymore."

Lauren's eyes brightened with delight and she quickly ripped off the pendant and handed it to Hale with a blinding smile. "Thank you, Hale, for being my friend."

"The pleasure is all mine, doctor."

Lauren linked arms with Bo and turned toward the door.

"Actually babe, you go on ahead and I'll catch up. I just need to talk to Hale for a minute. Why don't you go wait in the bar and we'll have a drink to celebrate."

"Ok sweetie."

Bo turned back to Hale as soon as Lauren was out the door. "Hale, you really came through. I can't thank you enough for being Lauren's hero. Not only am I so amazingly grateful, but I'm also really proud of you. You were born to lead and I have no doubt that you will put the Light Fae on the right path."

"As much as I love the flattery Bo, this is your victory. I should have acted sooner, but you were right, I was a coward. But you are the one who lit a fire under my ass and got the job done." He said with a beaming smile.

"I'll be honest, Hale. I never thought you would be able to do this so quickly, if it all. I figured you'd be tied up in red tape wrestling with the Elders. But now that you've taken a controversial stand against hundreds of years of bigotry…is there any chance that a backlash would jeopardize your inauguration? We can't afford to lose you."

"Nah, I don't think so. I've got the Elders' approval on my side. But I'm not gonna make a big public statement about it either, because it will make some people pissed off, and I don't need public opinion to nosedive before the inauguration. Let them be pissed afterward. They'll eventually get over it. But I knew it wouldn't be right to sit on this for another couple weeks. So I'm willing to take the chance. But I'm confident it will be ok."

Bo surprised Hale when she suddenly enveloped him in a bear hug. When she pulled away, she fixed him with a happy but scrutinizing stare. "I couldn't help but notice that the restitution form didn't have the Elders' seal, just your signature. Was that an oversight?"

Hale shifted his feet uncomfortably. "No, the Elder's seal isn't needed for financial documents. The Ash's signature was all that was required."

"Uh-huh. The _Ash's_ signature. Right." It was more than obvious that Hale was lying through his teeth, despite his efforts to force his face to remain neutral.

"All of Faedom owes her a great debt. Someone had to make it right."

"Some_one_?"

Hale cleared his throat, as he internally chastised himself for his slip. "The Fae of course. The Fae had a moral imperative to give her some sort of justice."

"Uh-huh. Yeah. Well thanks again Hale," She affectionately punched his shoulder. "and thank you for finally claiming your birthright – by proving that the Light Fae Ash of Clan Zamora really does have _noble_ blood."

Hale couldn't contain his smirk. He knew he hadn't fooled Bo at all. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Bo."


	23. Post Game Party

Lauren floated out of the Dal's banquet room-slash-Hale's office. Her brain was swimming around in a foggy haze and she found herself in the women's restroom without knowing how she got there. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to clear her mind and reduce the splotchy redness in her complexion. She stood for a few minutes just staring at her reflection in the mirror. It was as if she was looking at someone else – someone who looked like her, but the major difference was that the woman in the mirror was free and unbound. She kept staring at the strange woman in the mirror, and ever so slowly a radiant smile spread across her face and her eyes sparkled to life. _So that's what freedom looks like. I'm a person again. _

When Lauren exited the restroom, she still didn't see any signs of Bo so she decided to go ahead and wait in the bar. As soon as she crossed the threshold into Trick's pub, she was met with a roar of applause and cheers that nearly knocked her to the floor. After her initial shock, she looked around and saw Trick, Dyson, Kenzi, and her entire medical staff boisterously cheering and clapping. She covered her face in embarrassment for a moment, then looked out at her friends again; her eyes were watery and close to overflowing, but her smile was bright enough to light up the room.

Kenzi quickly rushed up to Lauren and gave her a warm hug and a cold bottle of beer. "Congratulations, Hotpants!"

"Thanks Kenzi." Lauren sniffled. "I can't believe everyone knew about this and kept it a secret!"

"Actually, Hale just gave us all the news a couple hours ago. We were all just as shocked as you. But none of us would have missed this for the world!"

"Oh my god, Hale! How did you get everyone here?" Bo and Hale had just entered the bar, and Bo was just as surprised as her girlfriend to see the cheering crowd.

"Well you know, I do have a certain authority." He chuckled gleefully.

Lauren whipped around when she heard her girlfriend's voice. She quickly put her folder on the bar, then marched up to Bo, grabbed her arm and spun her around like a ballroom dancer and dipped her, then smothered her with a passionate kiss. The crowd erupted into whistles and catcalls as Lauren continued to cradle Bo and kiss her senseless. Eventually Lauren pulled Bo upright again and the two lovers wrapped themselves tightly in their arms and continued to devour one another, not caring that they had an audience.

"A toast, everyone!" Trick held his beer up high. "To Dr. Lauren Lewis and her new life, may she find happiness wherever her path takes her!"

"Here, here!" The crowd cheered as they knocked back their drinks; but the happy couple remained oblivious to their well-wishers as they lost themselves in rapturous kisses.

* * *

Lauren saw Dyson out of the corner of her eye as he got up from the bar. She watched him intently as he walked toward Bo – or so she thought. Lauren was surprised as she realized he was headed straight for her. "Congratulations, Doctor." He smiled warmly. "May I 'buy' you a free drink?"

Lauren was stunned for a moment and looked at Bo as if to confirm that she heard him right.

"Bo, would you mind if I borrowed your girlfriend for a minute?"

Bo quirked an eyebrow and turned toward Lauren. "It's up to you, babe."

After another brief pause, Lauren nodded and confidently followed Dyson to the bar. _Oh what the hell._ _This should be interesting._ Lauren was pleased to discover that she just didn't feel that threatened by him, which was a welcome change.

"Trick, your finest scotch for the doc and me!" Dyson called to the kindly barkeep, who quickly responded with two glasses of his most expensive stock.

"So Dyson," Lauren started as she sipped the smooth liquor, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Dyson took a long sip of his scotch. "Lauren, I know we haven't always seen eye to eye and…oh hell… sometimes I've been a total dick to you, especially when Bo first came into our lives. And I'm not proud of it." He took another sip of his drink, but Lauren didn't respond; she sensed that he had more to say.

"But I just wanted to let you know that I'm sincerely happy for both of you. I can see that what you two have is truly… beautiful. And whenever I'm tempted to have a pity party, I remember how great you are together, and it makes me feel good that Bo has that kind of amazing love in her life. I hope you know how much she loves you, and how incredibly happy you make her." His voice waivered slightly, but he quickly reined it in.

"And now that you finally have the freedom to run your own life, that can only make things even better for you both. And I'm happy about that too." Dyson finally looked directly at Lauren, his eyes glassy but full of kindness. "So please take care of her, and don't forget to let her take care of you too. What you have is extraordinary, so if anything ever comes along to threaten it, you fight like hell to keep it. Trust me, after living for over 1500 years, I know how rare and precious it is."

Lauren stared at him in wonder; it took a few moments for her to find her voice. "Thank you Dyson. You can't know how much that means to me."

"I hope we have a chance to know each other better someday. The woman who captured Bo's heart must be just as extraordinary as she is, and I'd like to eventually call her my friend."

Lauren smiled impishly and held up her glass. "Stranger things have happened!" And then she quickly downed the rest of her scotch.

Dyson chuckled hardily and finished his drink. "I wish you the best of luck Lauren – and I will always have your back, as well as Bo's." He extended his hand to shake and Lauren didn't hesitate to take it.

"Likewise, Dyson. Thank you."

Dyson smiled and nodded his head. "Now go get your girl before she gets lonely."

Lauren grinned widely and turned to go find her girlfriend. She quickly scanned the room and saw no trace of Bo. Then suddenly she saw her at the other end of the bar, partly obscured by the people who had crowded around Trick to get their next round of drinks. "Oh, _fuck!_ What the hell is that two-faced cunt doing here?"

"Whoa, Doctor! Those are some mighty scary words coming from you." He noticed that she was staring at Bo and Tamsin at the end of the bar. "What's your beef with Tamsin?"

"Long story short, she lied to me and tried to goad me into breaking up with Bo. Excuse me, Dyson." Dyson just watched in confusion as Lauren marched off in a huff and headed straight towards Bo and the Valkyrie.

* * *

After Lauren left her to go talk to Dyson, Bo had gone over to hang with Kenzi. It was less than two minutes into their conversation that Bo spotted her. "_Shit! _I can't believe that back-stabbing bitch dared to show her face here!"

Kenzi followed Bo's line of sight to see who she was referring to. "Who, Tamsin? I thought you two were on good terms now."

"Long story, Kenz. Talk later. I've got business to take care of." She quickly bent and drew a small knife from her boot and stalked off toward Tamsin, Kenzi following a short distance behind – there was no way she was going to miss this.

Bo rushed up to the Valkyrie, and violently swiveled Tamsin's bar stool around and leaned in only inches from her face, discreetly holding the blade to the Valkyrie's stomach. She was bubbling with rage but she kept her voice down, but was no less threatening. "You have no right to be here, you fucked up home-wrecking waste of skin! It is only out of respect for the guests at my girlfriend's party that I don't gut you like a fish and suck you dry right here!"

Tamsin's look of surprise quickly turned to a smug, drunken leer. "Hey babe, now tell me how you really feel!" She punctuated her greeting with a loud hiccup.

Bo pressed her knife more firmly into Tamsin. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you? Other than being a pathetic, drunken old battle-ax? Why are you here?"

Tamsin giggled and downed the shot of vodka she still had in her hand. "Hey, I just came for the free booze." Tamsin burped loudly in Bo's face, causing her to wince in disgust, but she held the knife firmly in place.

"Why did you lie to Lauren? Why did you try to break us up?" Bo's voice was dripping with venom, but the Valkyrie remained unfazed and rolled her eyes.

"Don't get your panties in a wad, sweetie. You still got your girl – and now she's all growed up and doesn't need a leash anymore. Congrats." Tamsin slurred.

"Why, dammit! And don't you dare call me sweetie again or you'll be saying goodbye to one of your major organs."

"Why?" Tamsin cackled. "Why, why, why, why?" She sing-songed in a childlike whiny voice. "I guess it's 'cause I'm a fucked up, pathetic, bitter, washed up old battle-ax," She leaned closer, so their noses almost touched. She gritted her teeth and she growled menacingly, "and I fucking hate how you make me feel, you stuck up perfect bitch!"

Before Bo could react, Tamsin grabbed Bo's face and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips made contact for less than a millisecond before Bo dropped her knife and landed a right hook to Tamsin's face that knocked her off her stool with such force that when she landed on the floor she slid several feet from the bar on her ass.

* * *

As Lauren grew closer to Bo and Tamsin, she watched in horror as the Valkyrie grabbed Bo's face and pulled her in to kiss her. Lauren pushed the merrymakers out of the way as she raced to her girlfriend then skidded to a stop when Bo's fist launched Tamsin off of her barstool and landed on her ass, her face a bloody mess.

"Holy shitballs, Bo!" Kenzi blurted. She couldn't decide whether to be alarmed or impressed.

Tamsin just giggled drunkenly and wiped some of the blood off of her face with her hand. "Hey baby, I just love it when you act all butch!" She spit out some blood and then rolled over on her side and laughed maniacally.

Bo stalked over to the prone Valkyrie, grabbed her arm, and proceeded to drag her across the floor towards the door. She kicked it open, lifted up Tamsin by the back of her shirt and the waistband of her jeans and with a mighty swing, flung the drunken Fae out into the alley.

Bo closed the door and turned around to see a room full of people staring at her in stunned silence. "Sorry about the interruption, folks. I just had to take out some trash."

After an uncomfortable pause, Trick broke the tension and called out, "Show's over folks! Who wants another free drink?" Most of the party goers just shrugged and crowded around the bar, the brawl quickly forgotten. Kenzi was about to rush to her bestie to get the scoop, but Lauren made it there first. In an uncharacteristic act of maturity, Kenzi held back so the lovers could talk in private, resigning herself to enduring a long wait before she ever found out what the hell just happened.

"Baby, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Lo. Um, how much did you see?"

"I saw Tamsin try to kiss you before she went sailing across the room." Lauren grinned gleefully.

"Oh babe, I'm so sorry! I promised that nobody else would ever touch my lips and I didn't react in time! But it was so fast I barely felt it!"

Lauren pulled her girlfriend into a gentle kiss to stop Bo from berating herself further. "You have nothing to worry about Bo. I know you're mine." She smiled brightly as she realized she didn't feel threatened by Tamsin in the least. "Besides, that smackdown was kinda hot." She added with a sexy smirk. "So what's her deal, anyway?"

Bo sighed heavily. "Don't get me wrong – I am beyond pissed at her – but I kinda feel sorry for her. She's fucked up, sad, and pathetic, and she actually knows it. The girl's got issues."

"Issues? Looks to me like she has entire subscriptions."

Bo tried to stifle a giggle and embraced Lauren tightly. "I love you – my adorable, sexy dork." She leaned in and gave her girlfriend a lingering, gentle kiss.

"So, it's official," Bo sighed in exasperation, "Tamsin has a raging crush on me. She used to hate me, and now she doesn't – and apparently she's really pissed off about it. I guess she doesn't know how to cope with her feelings so she's been trying to drink them away, and also being a total asshole about it, but then you already knew that."

"Damn, that is pretty pathetic."

"Baby, listen. No matter what kind of stupid shit she might pull in the future, don't you think for a second that she is a threat to our relationship. I have absolutely no interest in her whatsoever –and I never will. Please don't ever forget how much I love you."

"I know that Bo, I really do." Lauren lovingly caressed Bo's cheek. "I finally know that you're really mine, and it's a wonderful feeling I didn't have before. I know I have nothing to worry about. You're mine and I'm yours, it's as simple as that."

Deeply touched by Lauren's declaration, Bo smiled radiantly and pulled her girlfriend into a smoldering kiss. They broke their kiss before they could get too carried away and just held their embrace for a few moments, with their eyes closed and foreheads touching.

Pulling back so she could look at her girlfriend, Bo asked, "So what did you and Dyson talk about?"

Lauren chuckled hardily. "I think Dyson and I came to an understanding, and I must admit I'm still shocked." Bo looked at her quizzically. "He says he's happy for us, and I actually think he means it. And he wants us to be friends."

"And how do you feel about that?" Bo asked with a playful smirk.

Lauren grinned impishly. "I told him stranger things have happened."

"Oh really?" giggled Bo, as she raised an eyebrow.

"But I'm willing to concede that the potential is there."

Bo smiled brightly at her girlfriend as she realized that Lauren had taken major steps toward letting go of her insecurities and the paranoia that Dyson provoked in her. She stepped over to the bar and grabbed Lauren's paperwork. "You ready to get out of here, babe? There's a whole world waiting."

Lauren beamed as she linked arms with her girlfriend. "Just take me home Bo."

"Your place or mine?"

"Yours. Mine was never my home. Now that I'm free, I don't ever want to spend another night in that glorified jail cell. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a very attractive climate-controlled storage unit now."

"Ok baby. So let's say goodbye to everyone and go home. To our home, for as long as you want it to be."

* * *

A/N: A little clarification about the events of season 3: in my doccubus universe, the weird wanderer/rainer crap from season 4 will never happen. So that means that anything from season 3 that alluded to the wanderer didn't happen in my backstory. So Tamsin went to see Lauren just to be cruel because she is messed up and conflicted about her crush on Bo, not because she needed a hair from Lauren for the spell to subdue Bo for the wanderer.


	24. Communion

A/N: Mature sexual content. Read at your own risk.

* * *

"How're you holding up, babe? Today has to have been pretty overwhelming for you."

"That's the understatement of the year." Lauren chuckled, as the she and Bo strolled through the clubhouse door.

"Have you thought about what you want to do for the rest of the evening? Celebrate at a fancy restaurant? Do you need to talk? I could help you look over your paperwork – or we could just do something totally wild or silly!" Bo caressed her girlfriend's face. "Anything you want, all that matters is it's your choice to make – which is something you need to get used to doing now."

"It's all so much to take in. I can't process all that paperwork now. My brain still can't comprehend the money, or the job offer, or the disclosures or whatever. The only thing that I can make any sense of now is my freedom and it's…" Lauren took a deep breath, "intoxicating! Or that might just be the alcohol talking." She smirked.

Bo let out a small giggle then her face softened sincerely. "I can't imagine what you must be going through, to finally be given back something so… so fundamental to who you are – something that you were missing, something that everyone else takes for granted."

"I'm whole again, Bo." Lauren's voice was full of wonder. She paused for a moment, as if trying to soak up her own words. "Bo, I need…I…"

"What is it you need, baby?"

"Please, I…I need to make to love to you, Bo. Right now. I need to finally make love to you as a free and whole woman."

"I was actually hoping you'd say that." Bo smiled mischievously. "Take me to bed, my love."

Lauren took Bo's hand, and led her toward the stairs, glancing back with a sultry look, despite her slightly watery eyes. Once they entered the bedroom, Bo caressed Lauren's cheek and said in a quiet lilting voice, "I think this is one of those times for music and candles."

Lauren pressed her cheek into Bo's palm and closed her eyes. "Yes, love. Yes it is."

With a sexy wink, Bo went off to gather up as many vanilla scented candles as she could find. Lauren found Bo's Ipod and started flipping through the playlists. She smirked in delight when she found an unfamiliar one labeled 'make sweet love.' _When did she put that one together?_ She put the Ipod in the dock and adjusted it to a comfortable volume.

The soothing scent of vanilla enveloped the room as Bo lit the last of the candles. White pillars of various sizes adorned almost every surface in the room. Lauren finally turned out the lights and the glowing warmth of the flickering flames made the lovers' hearts flutter and bodies hum with anticipation.

Bo and Lauren floated toward each other until they met in a tight embrace in front of the foot of the bed. They joined in a slow, aching kiss full of love and longing. As if slow dancing to the sensuous melody that filled the room, they began to peel each other's clothes off until they were standing in just their bras and panties. They embraced again and Bo began kissing Lauren's shoulder and slowly moved up her neck, while deeply inhaling Lauren's clean, intoxicating aroma that was mixed with the floral scent of her shampoo.

"You always smell absolutely heavenly." Bo murmured into her lover's ear, eliciting a soft sigh of pleasure as Lauren buried her own fingers in Bo's silky brunette locks.

Lauren captured Bo's swollen lips in a thirsty kiss that ignited the relentless craving that only Bo's heart and body could sate. She firmly stroked her hands down Bo's shoulder blades, and as soon as Lauren reached her bra, Bo moved her own hands around to Lauren's clasp so they could remove their bras at the same time. As they cast the lacy garments away, both lovers hissed blissfully as their breasts finally met, their erect nipples rubbing together to further inflame their passions.

Bo looked at her girlfriend in awe. Lauren's eyes gazed back at her, blazing with the flames of the reflected candlelight.

"Bo,"

"Yes, baby?"

"I really need to make love _to you_. Can you let me do that? Can you let go completely and let me love you, worship your body and trust me to fulfill all your needs? Can you do that for me?"

Bo thought she could get drunk just from hearing Lauren's voice, her erotic yet vulnerable request causing every nerve ending to throb. "Yes." She replied in a loud, strained whisper. "You have always been the only one I could ever surrender to Lauren. I'm yours." She caressed Lauren's lips with her own, then slightly opened her mouth to invite Lauren in, allowing her to take control of the kiss. Lauren lazily explored Bo's mouth with her tongue, both women responding with gentle, high pitched grunts and murmurs.

Lauren placed her hands on Bo's shoulders and slowly knelt down, dragging her hands over her girlfriend's body, until she reached Bo's panties. She hooked her fingers into the waist band and pulled them down Bo's legs so that she could easily step out of them. Lauren reached around to stroke Bo's ass as she showered her girlfriend's abdomen with light open mouthed kisses and breathed deeply, savoring the scent of Bo's growing arousal.

Lauren stood up again and placed a single slow, gentle kiss on Bo's lips. "Go lie down on your stomach, baby."

With a radiant smile, Bo reclined on the bed, willing herself to relax deeply, trusting that Lauren would take care of her every need. Her breath hitched when she felt Lauren lightly trail her fingertips down the full length of her back, causing her whole body to shiver. "My god, you're beautiful," said Lauren in a lilting, melodic voice.

Bo smiled hazily as she recognized the very familiar sentiment. She closed her eyes and sighed contently. "I love you, Lo. So much."

Lauren began stroking over Bo's back, lightly rubbing her hands over Bo's rapidly flushing skin. "Love you too, Bo. More than you can possibly imagine."

Lauren continued to rub her hands and stroke her fingertips in lazy random patterns over Bo's back and arms. Bo's heart skipped a beat when she felt Lauren move to her ass and hips. Bo's libido was calling as it began to pull her from her relaxed state. As Lauren proceeded down the back of her legs, Bo groaned low and deep as a cascade of firing nerves flowed up and down her entire body, until it finally settled firmly in her aching groin.

Once Lauren traveled all the way to her feet, Bo had expected her lover to have her turn over; but she was caught unaware when she felt Lauren shift back up toward her shoulders and began using her lips and tongue to wetly follow the same route down her entire body again. The rapidly drying trails of saliva caused her to shiver all over as small sparks of pleasure ricocheted throughout her body. She tried to concentrate on controlling her breathing, as her soft light panting began to accelerate.

When Lauren finally reached Bo's feet again, she commanded huskily, "Ok lover, it's time to turn over that luscious body."

"Oh baby, that felt _so_ nice," Bo gushed, her over sensitized flesh pulsing with fire as she moved to turn over.

"I've barely gotten started, baby." Lauren smiled wickedly, as she took a foot in her hands and lovingly massaged it.

"Mmmm….that's lovely." Bo crooned. Lauren's touch wasn't as sexually charged as before, but Bo still enjoyed the soothing sensuality as her girlfriend pampered her foot. She gasped in delighted surprise when Lauren began kissing her instep, causing her nerves to start firing off again. But Bo was totally unprepared when Lauren enveloped her big toe in her mouth and sucked.

"Holy SHIT!" It took all of Bo's strength not to jerk her leg so she wouldn't kick her girlfriend. She had never known her feet to be so exquisitely sensitive before. As Lauren continued to suck and lick her toes huge tremors of desire forcefully vibrated up her leg straight to her clit. Bo was panting faster and faster when she helplessly cried, "Dear god, what are you doing to me?"

Lauren snickered devilishly as she saw Bo's brown eyes abruptly change to electric blue. "The toes and feet are a little known erogenous zone, if they're treated right."

"Damn, woman! Did you learn that in a medical book?"

"More like the Kama Sutra." Lauren said with a self-satisfied smirk. She picked up Bo's other foot to give it the same treatment; Bo cried out as soon as Lauren's mouth touched her, incredulous that this foot had somehow become even more sensitive than the other.

Soon Bo's legs felt like jelly; she was thankful she was lying down because there was no way she could stand. Lauren finally left her foot and began slowly traversing Bo's leg with her mouth and fingertips. Bo's panting had turned to little whimpers, the fiery sensations sometimes causing her leg to twitch and jerk. As Lauren lazily moved up her inner thigh, the ache in Bo's clit grew to a demanding roar, and she wondered how much of the sweet torture she could take.

Bo groaned miserably when the electrifying stimulation stopped just before Lauren's mouth reached the apex between her thighs. "Oh god, _PLEASE_, baby!"

Lauren cooed, "You'll be alright, love. Just let go. Let it all go and I'll take care of you, I promise." Then Lauren moved back toward Bo's feet again and started the same excruciating journey up her other leg. As she reached the top again she took a few moments to deeply inhale Bo's aroused scent. She took a closer look at the flushed, swollen center of Bo's passion and was delighted to see she was actually dripping onto the sheets.

"Oh baby. You're so wonderfully wet, you've already made a puddle. I must be doing something right." Bo was trying desperately to let go of the panic she felt from being so painfully turned on with no relief in sight. Her panting and mewling were fast approaching high pitched wheezing.

"Oh Lauren, I love you…I love you so much…I can't believe what you're doing to me!" Bo cried helplessly, her flaming blue eyes flashing brighter and brighter. She had never felt so completely out of control of her body before.

"I love you too Bo. I can't begin to tell you how breathtaking it is to watch you come undone." All Bo could do was whimper in response as Lauren knelt at her side and started making love to the creamy expanse of her abs, Lauren's tongue paying extra attention to her navel.

Lauren's hands and mouth gradually moved up Bo's torso until she reached the underside of her lover's breasts. She kissed and fondled all over the delicious pillows of flesh, but never touched Bo's nipples, driving her girlfriend further into aroused madness. Lauren shifted her position so she could lean over and finally kiss Bo without touching the rest of her body. They devoured each other hungrily, as Bo groaned loudly into Lauren's mouth. Lauren eventually began to kiss down Bo's throat and over her collar bones. As she reached the top of Bo's breasts, she used her fingertips to stroke the undersides of them as well.

Bo's panting had become increasingly loud and shallow, her eyes were clamped shut and she was drunk from the hot throbbing of waves of wetness spilling out of her weeping pussy.

With a reverent "I love you," Lauren finally sucked a rock-hard nipple into her mouth and pinched and rolled the other.

Bo erupted in a strangled cry of rapture, climaxing hard as she held Lauren's head tightly to her breast. Bo was in utter shock as she tried to control her frantic breathing. "Oh baby …how do you _do_ this to me?" Bo inhaled great gasps of much needed oxygen. "I can't believe you just made me come without even touching me!"

"Oh, I touched you alright," Lauren grinned smugly, "and there's plenty more to…come."

"Please baby, I know you're in charge, but – I need to hold you, to feel your body on mine. It's been driving me crazy!"

"Oh, sweetie don't you worry. That's what's coming up next. I just wanted to set all your nerve endings on fire before we get to the good stuff."

"Holy shit, woman." With a mischievous giggle Lauren moved to get off the bed. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I still have my underwear on, silly!" She quickly stepped out of her panties and slung them at her girlfriend, who caught them and held them to her nose and inhaled deeply.

"Mmmmm…. definitely wouldn't want to forget that. I need my nekkidness!"

"Now who's the sexy dork?"

"Shut up and get on top of me."

Lauren giggled with delight and crawled back into bed. "My pleasure." They both groaned when Lauren finally lowered herself onto Bo and immediately pressed a thigh into her wet heat.

"Oh god, baby…yesss…" Bo held her girlfriend tightly to her, rubbing her hands all over Lauren's back and squeezing her ass, encouraging her to put more pressure into her pelvic thrusts.

Lauren's hips rocked achingly slow and steady even though her own burning clit was screaming for relief. Watching Bo while she had made love to her had set Lauren aflame, yet she was determined to prolong her own release so she could concentrate solely on Bo's pleasure. Instead of holding herself up on her arms, Lauren allowed her full length to rest heavily on top of Bo, allowing their breasts to firmly slip and slide over each other as both lovers' bodies became increasingly feverish and sweaty. Lauren gently held Bo's face as she explored her lover's mouth with her lips and tongue. They rarely parted to replenish their oxygen, instead breathing heavily through their noses as their tongues danced and they spoke to each other in melodic little grunts and moans.

Bo finally pulled back slightly so she could gulp down several lungs' worth of air. She rasped, "I love you, Lauren, more than I ever thought possible." then plunged her tongue back into Lauren's mouth, delighting in the pleasurable murmurs her girlfriend emitted. Without breaking the kiss, Lauren moved one of her hands from Bo's jaw and brought it down to her side nudging Bo's arm off her back so they could join hands, squeezing tight as if they were trying to press all their love into each other's palms. Their sweet kisses became desperate, as if their hunger could never be sated, and their brows furrowed from the unbearable beauty of it all.

Lauren slowly let go of Bo's hand and shifted so she could move it between their bodies, where she sought out Bo's pulsing clit. As soon as Lauren slipped through her lover's wetness and circled the swollen pearl with her fingertips, Bo broke away from the kiss to emit an elated cry of pleasure.

Lauren took the opportunity to lavish kisses up Bo's neck and jaw. "Does that feel good, love?…oh baby, you like that don't you?" she purred between kisses.

"Oh yes…yesss… it's amazing, baby." Bo wheezed. Her moaning kept rising in pitch. "Oh Lauren, baby, you love me so _goooood_."

Lauren started sliding down Bo's body so she could reach her lover's aching breasts, all the while continuing to steadily rub Bo's clit. Lauren greedily sucked a nipple into her mouth and reveled in the sound of Bo's joyous moans. Lauren lazily licked, nibbled and sucked, frequently alternating between breasts.

Lauren felt Bo starting to tremble and she knew her girlfriend could come soon, but she wasn't about to let it be over that quick. She backed off of Bo's clit and just stroked back and forth between her swollen slippery lips. Bo whined out a disappointed moan, but it was soon replaced by blissful sighs.

"You want me inside, love?"

"Please…oh yessss…please, baby!"

"Ok, sweetie, just hang on while I move."

Lauren briefly removed her hand so she could crawl backwards until she knelt between Bo's legs. "Bend your knees and spread 'em for me, baby." Bo bent her knees so she could rest the soles of her feet on the bed. Then Lauren shifted so she was sitting and she slid her legs under Bo's knees so she could stretch them out on either side of Bo's hips. Lauren gasped as the new position gave her a perfect view of Bo's engorged, seeping pussy, beautifully flushed in a deep shade of pink. "God Bo, you're breathtaking."

"Please, Lo. Please I need it now." Bo pleaded desperately.

"It's ok, baby, I got you." Lauren placed her left thumb firmly on Bo's clit, rubbing it in slow circles, provoking a sharp gasp. With a tender "I love you," Lauren used her right hand to slide two fingers into her impossibly wet lover.

Both women groaned loudly from the shocking sensation. "Holy shit, Bo! I've never felt you this wet before! You feel incredible." Lauren gushed, totally blown away by the tactile experience.

"Oh god…please I…I need more baby."

"Of course, babe." She easily slipped another finger in her lover, the copious slickness of Bo's desire offering no resistance at all.

"More! Please…you can give me more, baby…oh _god_ I'm so wet!" Bo cried pleadingly.

"Anything for you, love." Lauren slid her fourth finger in, utterly amazed at how effortlessly it slid through the flood of musky lust Bo was producing.

"Please…" Bo strangled out, "now baby, please fuck me, I can't stand it!"

Lauren began thrusting in and out, gently at first, then increasing in speed and force as she quickly realized how easily she slid through the deluge seeping out of Bo's pussy. Lauren's moans almost equaled Bo's as she lost herself in her lover's pleasure.

The lovers lost all sense of time once Lauren locked into a steady forceful rhythm, Bo simply groaning incoherently. Suddenly the groaning stopped, to be replaced by panting, after a moment Bo timidly pleaded, "Give me more, baby. I want all of you, Lauren. I need all of you."

Lauren just stared at her girlfriend intensely, both awed and alarmed by Bo's request. Finally, Lauren responded gently, "Bo, love…have you ever done that before?"

"No. Have you?"

"No, no I haven't. But it's supposed to be extremely intense. Are you sure about this?"

"I need this," Bo's eyes were radiant blue, but watery with unshed tears. "I want to give this to you. Please, please." Bo's voice grew increasingly strained until it was practically a whisper.

"Bo, I don't want to hurt you."

Bo smiled brightly as she heard the same words she had spoken to Lauren on that first intimate night two years ago.

"I trust you."

Lauren was nearly overcome with emotion. "Alright, love." She took several deep breaths to center herself. She pulled her fingers out slightly and folded her thumb tightly into her palm. She started to place gentle steady pressure as her hand pushed forward slowly. Bo's gasping moan escalated into a cry that Lauren couldn't tell if it was from pleasure or pain. Or both.

"Bo, are you ok? Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine. Just need a moment…" Bo's panting began to take on a high pitched whine. "Ok, baby. Just keep going slow."

"Ok sweetie, just try to relax and breathe. Here we go…" Lauren slowly twisted her hand back and forth as she gradually slid her knuckles through the tight ring of muscle.

Bo howled from the sensation, but quickly assured her girlfriend, "I'm ok, it's good. It's good. Oh dear _god_ it's incredible!"

"Are you able to keep going?

"Yeah, baby I'm ready."

Lauren nodded and tried to concentrate. One finger at a time, she slowly curved them in toward her palm until she had formed an elongated fist. Lauren was in complete, wondrous awe of the exhilaration she felt from being so deep inside her lover, her hand cradled in the tight and slick soothing warmth, in physical communion with her beloved in the most profound way possible.

Lauren was utterly breathless. "Oh god, Bo. You are so beautiful. So absolutely exquisite!"

Bo's back arched and her glowing blue eyes rolled up into the back of head. She moaned incomprehensibly and eventually squeaked out, "I love you Lauren. Dear god I love you so much!"

"I love you too, Bo. There are just no words…this is…Oh Bo, thank you. Thank you for giving this to me…You feel so wonderful, love."

Lauren began to move her hand back and forth slightly in small thrusts as she felt Bo's muscles beginning to loosen. As Lauren increased the tempo, Bo began to cry out in a pulsing rhythm in time with her lover's thrusts. Lauren finally evened out her speed and added a slight twist to each thrust to brush her knuckles over Bo's g-spot. She changed the pressure of her thumb on Bo's clit and began to rapidly flutter over it.

"Lauren, LAUREN!..Oh god baby… I'm gonna… come… so hard…oh shit! _I LOVE Y_ –" Bo was suddenly silent; Lauren gasped as she watched Bo's face rapturously contort into a soundless scream.

"I love you too, Bo. Let it go baby, let it all go…"

Bo's pelvis rose off the bed, her entire body locked in a tight rictus of euphoria. With a final scream, her legs convulsed spastically, and an earthshattering orgasm consumed her body in a fireball of unbearable pleasure, as she blissfully expelled an arcing stream of fluid.

As Bo and Lauren floated in their haze of mutual rapture, they were peacefully enveloped in the sensual voice of Sarah McLachlan crooning, _"Sweeee-eeeee-ee-ee-eet surrender, is all that I have to give..." _Neither woman realized that their eyes were leaking tears of joy.


	25. So Now What?

The amorous couple spent nearly the entire weekend 'celebrating' and consuming large quantities of sports drinks. It wasn't until after breakfast on Monday morning that Lauren finally sat down on the couch to pour over a lapful of legal documents.

After cleaning up after breakfast, Bo came to join her on the couch. "Hey babe, I forgot to mention that Dyson texted me earlier and said they've got a tough case that's been dragging on for a while and they could really use my help. I was able to put him off till tomorrow, so I've got plenty of time today if you want some help going over that stuff. Or would you rather do it alone?"

"Sure sweetie. It would probably help to have a sounding board while I figure all this out. I'm looking at these disclosure statements and they seem pretty reasonable. The one about the exposure laws – that's normally enforceable against both Fae and humans, claimed or not. They always deal with anyone who threatens to expose or harm them, so it's not like I could expect immunity from that. Do you want to take a look at it?"

"Sure." Bo read the short statement a few times. "I don't see anything that's not straightforward or loop-holey."

"Well, all it really says is I would be subject to their law, and I don't have a copy of all the fine print of the law to look at, but like I said, everyone on the planet is subject to it whether they like it or not. So I think I'm fine with signing it."

"Ok, sounds good." Lauren quickly signed, dated, and initialed the statement and put it off to the side to start a 'finished' pile.

"How do you feel about the protection order?"

Lauren gathered her thoughts for a moment. "Well it seems fine on the surface. Knowing I have a safety net if some Fae try to come after me gives me some peace of mind, but…who knows what they call 'protection?' Could protection be putting me in protective custody or some other extreme measure that puts me under their control in the name of safety?"

"You have a good point, Lo. I hadn't thought of that." Bo's brow furrowed as she considered the implications. "I suppose it's always possible that it might be necessary, like if some extra bad baddie is after you and you have to be moved to a safe house or something, but that's definitely a power that could be abused, especially if a future Ash is a dick about it. Maybe you should have Hale add a statement that you have the right to accept or reject any assistance that would restrict your freedom, or some sort of legalese to that effect."

"Ok that works for me." Lauren grabbed a stack of post-it notes from the coffee table and scribbled a note and attached it to the unsigned form, then added it to the 'finished' pile.

"What's next?"

"The confidentiality agreement for the settlement." She picked up both documents and stared at them back and forth. "Shit Bo, I still can't get my head around the fact that I'm a freaking millionaire. But I guess I can keep quiet about it, though it's possible the sudden increase in my standard of living would be suspicious to some Fae. But I sure as hell am not going to live like a pauper just for appearances." She quickly signed the paper and added it to the pile.

"So what kinds of upgrades are you looking to make first?" Bo asked with a playful grin.

"Well, I guess first I need to figure out where to live so I can get my stuff out of the compound. I haven't had a chance to think a lot about the details, but…I would love to buy a house." Lauren's eyes sparkled dreamily.

"So the millionaire doesn't want to live with me and Kenz in a condemned crack shack?" Bo smirked in mock indignation.

"Well, this place certainly has a unique charm, and it's full of a lot of good memories, but…it would also be nice to have walls, central air and heat, windows you can see through, and protection from bugs and water damage. And a security system." Lauren's face softened as she looked at Bo with hope in her eyes. "I know this place means a lot to you, but I would really like you to live with me. In _our_ house. And Bo – I know that you and Kenzi are a package deal. She's family, and she would be welcome to live with us too. And we can always get our bedroom soundproofed." Lauren added with a sly grin.

"Really? You want us to live with you?" Bo's eyes lit up in childish delight.

"Of course sweetie!" Lauren reached for Bo's hand and held it tightly. "Was I just imagining it or did we not have all those discussions about us being in it for the long haul?" She chuckled in amusement. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet!" she accused in mock horror.

"No, no of course not! I guess it just hasn't all sunk in yet." Bo loudly exhaled, "I mean, wow – a house? To quote Kenzi, Holy shitballs!"

"Ok, I guess the first order of business is to talk to Hale about money details." Lauren started scribbling on another post-it note. "Like when and how do I get access to it…is it in a bank account…or a trust…lump sum or annual payments…oh and I guess I should ask about that financial planner."

"And then we go house hunting?" Bo could barely contain her giddiness.

"Well I guess we need to decide where? I think I want to stay in the Toronto area…we should ask Hale about what areas are in Light territory. On the other hand a change of scene might be better, but I wouldn't want to take you too far from the Fae, it wouldn't be fair."

"I know I would feel better about your safety if we were close enough to get help from the Ash if we needed it." Suddenly Bo's eyes lit up. "But another possibility, Miss Moneybags…you could compromise and get a nice little vacation home somewhere pretty and out of the way."

"Well aren't you full of good ideas." Lauren playfully nudged her shoulder against her girlfriend.

"Better watch out, I'm really good at coming up with ways to spend someone else's money!" Bo smirked wickedly.

"It's your money too, Bo."

Bo stared at her girlfriend in surprise for a moment. Then her face softened and she spoke gently, "Lauren, no sweetie. You suffered dearly for that money. You earned every last penny and then some. It's all yours, as it should be."

Lauren caressed Bo's cheek. "And what's the point of freedom if I can't share it with you? Besides, Hale gave me the distinct impression that you were the one that actually set all this in motion. This money will help us build our new life together. There couldn't possibly be a better use for it."

Bo blushed slightly and smiled self-deprecatingly "Are you saying I'm going to be a kept woman?"

Lauren chuckled affectionately. "Well, the rather large income disparity is kind of unavoidable. But Bo, you do very important work but you just don't get paid for most of it. The only reason you've kept afloat this long is that you don't pay rent and you have illegal utilities. I want you to have the freedom to pursue any interest you have without worrying about how lucrative it is. You deserve it. You're worth it."

"It's just that it – " Bo stopped herself as she noticed Lauren looking back at her with loving, soulful eyes. "I mean thank you. You are just too amazing for words." She leaned in for a gentle kiss.

"So…income. Which brings us to this." Lauren pulled out the job proposal and contract.

"So what are your thoughts?"

Lauren groaned melodramatically. "Ugh….I don't know. Part of me is screaming to get as far away from the Fae as possible, that only a poster girl for Stockholm syndrome would bother to even read this."

"But?"

"But my life is complicated, whether I work with the Fae or not. There's a better chance that Karen Beattie will stay dead and buried if I'm with the Fae. If I have access to a Fae lab, I would have a better chance of finding a solution to our little lifespan issue. And if you're ever severely injured I would want to be at the Light's hospital so I can coordinate your care. And there's no denying that despite my justifiable emotional baggage, the Fae have been more than scientifically fulfilling. But can I work for the same people that enslaved me? It's utter insanity!" Lauren threw her arms up in frustration.

"Well technically, you would be working for Hale, who is your friend." Bo gently pointed out. "If another Ash comes along who is a douchebag, you don't have to stay. You would still have to deal with Fae society in general looking down on humans, but I would think your work environment would be respectful. And you also have friends who don't think of you as less than a person. Even Dyson has come a long way." She smirked playfully.

Lauren stifled a giggle and rolled her eyes.

"It was a nice surprise that your Fae medical staff came to your party – so they obviously respect you and think you deserve to be free. So the people that you would have the most contact with would treat you well. But I mean – look sweetie, I'm not trying to convince you to stay. I'm just listing the possible pros, but obviously the major con is traumatizing associations and emotional scars that don't heal. So both pros and cons should be carefully considered – your happiness means everything to me."

"But you've made some good points, Bo. It's just that after six years of servitude, it's hard to trust, you know?" Lauren quickly skimmed the contract while she kept talking. "But theoretically, working for the Fae now would be a very different experience than my enslavement." She looked up from the contract. "And, uh… $270,000 per year with the most insane benefits package I've ever seen is certainly a nice first step."

"Holy shit." After a moment Bo snapped out of her awe. "Lo, baby, I will support whatever choice you make and I will happily follow you wherever it takes you. What's most important is that you are finally able to follow your own heart. And you should."

"Well, Hale did say there was no hurry. Maybe I could take some time to explore other projects, and the Fae will still be there later. And if I go back to the Fae and I'm not happy, I can just leave when the contract comes up for renewal." Lauren sighed heavily. "I really want to believe that Hale is going to have a positive impact on how humans are treated in Fae society. I don't know how long it will take, but I want to be hopeful."

"Me too, babe. Me too." Bo reached out to squeeze Lauren's hand in support. "You mentioned other projects. Is there something you had in mind?"

"Remember I told you a fellow scientist came by to drop off my award? His name is Isaac Taft. He's been courting me to join his research team. His foundation is developing gene therapies for a variety of diseases and conditions. They're working on heart disease at the moment. I went back to school for a doctorate in genetics but never finished. This could be a great opportunity to pursue one of my own interests again. I've been telling him no, of course, but he's been persistent. And now I don't have an excuse anymore."

Bo put her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders and squeezed affectionately. "It sounds like a perfect project for getting your feet wet in the human world again. Whatever you decide, baby. I'm with you all the way."

"I'll give it some more thought but I should set up a meeting with Hale soon."

"And then house hunting?" Bo asked with childlike anticipation.

"Someone's eager!" Lauren chuckled lightheartedly, amused by Bo's excitement. "Actually, maybe we should go car shopping first. I don't know how much longer your Camaro will last. I come close to asphyxiating on the gas fumes whenever you drive on the expressway for more than ten minutes."

"Oh my god, don't tempt me, Lo!" Bo cried melodramatically. "Besides, shouldn't you be buying your own car first? Have anything in mind?"

"I have no idea." Lauren shrugged. "Something reliable and boring I'm sure. A Subaru?"

"Oh hell, babe. I might be a newbie to lesbian culture, but even I know that is a raging stereotype!" Bo teased mercilessly.

"Oh really?" Lauren countered with an evil grin. "Too dykey, huh? How about a Volvo?"

"No."

"VW bug?"

"Uh, no."

"Jeep?"

"Seriously? No."

"Ford pickup?"

"Hell no! Now you're just messing with me."

"Vespa scooter?"

"Bite your tongue, woman!"

"How about I bite yours?" Lauren grabbed Bo and pulled her into an insistent, dominating kiss.

"So…" Lauren smiled smugly, "then I guess we're buying your car first! And that would be…?"

"Fine. A black Mustang!"

"Ooh, how butch!"

"You mean how hot, sexy, and powerful." Bo licked her lips suggestively. "Like me."

Lauren eagerly leaned in to steal another sultry kiss. "Mmmm…Can't argue with that!"

* * *

"Hey Doc, Come on in!" Hale waved Lauren over to his desk when he saw her hovering right outside the open door.

"Hi Hale. Thanks for seeing me today." She took a seat in front of her friend as he greeted her with kind eyes and a cheerful smile.

"No problem at all. It's actually a slow day. Do you have some signatures for me? Or questions?"

"A little of both, actually." She opened her folder and pulled out several documents. "This is the disclosure about Fae law, and the confidentiality statement. But I did have a concern about the wording of the protection order."

"Ok, so what can I tell you?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm really grateful that as an unclaimed human I can still count on the Ash if someone goes after me – and Bo and I are taking that into consideration for when we move. But my main concern is about any possible loophole or potential abuse – by another Ash for example." She quickly qualified her remark so as not to offend Hale.

"As you can imagine, I'm very gun shy about putting myself at risk of being detained or imprisoned or otherwise have my freedom taken away in the name of safety. I understand that there could possibly be a situation that requires extreme measures, but –" She took a brief moment to muster some assertiveness, "it's very important to me that I have the right to accept or reject any protection measure that would infringe on my freedom. After all, one of the Light Fae's favorite justifications for 'owning' claimed humans is that they must be kept 'safe.' So I don't feel comfortable signing that yet unless there is a statement in there to that effect."

Hale was briefly lost in thought while he digested Lauren's request. "I think we can accommodate that," he said with a sigh, "I have to admit, as your friend who cares about you, I would like to have any means possible at my disposal if it meant saving your life. But… I understand that even in extreme circumstances, you should still have the right to choose your own fate. So I will respect that. We can have a new draft ready for you tomorrow morning, ok?"

"Thanks Hale, I really appreciate that. Now, about that job proposal…"

"Yes?" Hale's face lit up eagerly.

"I'm not saying no – yet. But I need a sabbatical. I need time to get my affairs in order and move. And Bo and I need a damn vacation! I also want the chance to pursue some other opportunities before I make any major choices about my future. One of my personal interests is genetics and I have an offer to join a research team developing gene therapies. Since their facility is local, I would be willing to do some part-time freelance consulting for the Light if something important comes up that needs my expertise. So... in six months to a year, depending on how my other projects are going, I would be willing to reconsider your offer – but no promises at this time, ok?"

Hale smiled genuinely. "I would be more than happy to accommodate your request, Doctor. I'm just grateful you didn't throw the proposal in the trash!" He chuckled good naturedly.

"Frankly, I probably would have if the Ash had been anyone else but you." Lauren smirked and rolled her eyes. "As you can imagine, I have trust issues."

"Completely understandable."

"Also, I'm willing to stay on the job until after your inauguration. I need time to tie up some loose ends to make sure things can run as smoothly as possible in my absence."

"Hey, that's awesome!" Hale grinned widely. "Seriously Lauren, I really appreciate your dedication to your work and your patients, considering you have every right to say 'fuck you' and flip us the bird on your way out!"

"Well, I am a doctor first. Hippocratic Oath and all that. Oh, which reminds me – I'm also requesting to maintain my privileges at the Light hospital so I can coordinate Bo's care if she ever gets severely ill or injured."

"Consider it done."

"Thanks, Hale. Now…" Lauren's eyes twinkled as she adopted a more casual demeanor. "what about that insane amount of Fae money? How do I get access to it?"

"Yeah, yeah of course! Now that you signed the confidentiality disclosure, we should be able to get everything set up pretty quickly." He pulled out a business card. "This is the finance guy who's overseeing everything. The money is in a private trust at the moment, but you can talk to him about how you want it disbursed. His office is in the compound's admin building. Since it's still early in the morning you might be able to walk in and see him now. But otherwise just give him a call to set up a meeting."

"Thanks so much Hale. I'm really looking forward to seeing you permanently sworn in as the next Ash. I know you're going to do great things."

"I could say the same thing about you, Lauren." He walked out from behind his desk and extended his hand to her. "You will be sorely missed Doctor, but maybe someday you'll find your way back to the Fae on your own terms."

Lauren gladly took his hand to shake. "The Fae may have lost me for now, but you haven't. You've made a friend forever, Hale." She pulled the surprised Ash into a heartfelt hug.

"And that makes me a lucky man!" He chuckled enthusiastically and patted Lauren on the back. "Now get out of here and go track down that cash of yours!"

"Will do, Hale. Then I'm taking Bo car shopping!"

"Oooh, I bet those will be some hot wheels!"

"The hottest!"


	26. The Best-Laid Plans

"_WOOOO HOOOOOOOO!"_

"My god Bo, slow down! You're going to get us pulled over – or dead!"

Of course, Lauren's pleas fell on deaf ears – deafness caused by "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" booming through the twelve speaker sound system in Bo's new black Mustang convertible. Bo flew down the QEW at break-neck speed, her wild mane of brunette soaring in the wind. They weren't in a hurry to go anywhere; Bo just had a need for speed that she couldn't ignore.

"Hands on the wheel! HANDS ON THE WHEEL!" Lauren shrieked as Bo lifted both arms in the air to pump her fists to the music. The part of her that feared for their lives was at constant war with the part of her that was totally turned on by the hotness of her girlfriend, who was decked out in black leather and sunglasses, lip synching to Joan Jett, and roaring down the highway in a muscle car that radiated bad-ass sexiness.

_Who knew when we plunked down nearly $40,000 for a fully loaded Mustang that one of its best features was a built in aphrodisiac?_

"SHIT!" Lauren's knuckles turned white as she gripped the armrest, her heart skipping a beat when Bo swerved around two cars to get to the exit ramp.

Bo slowed down once they got off the highway and turned the music off. "Whooo! What a rush! This baby is fucking awesome!"

"Oh my god Bo, you're going to total this car before it burns through its first liter of gas! Are you _trying_ to get us killed?"

Bo pulled up to a stop light and slightly lowered her sunglasses to look at her girlfriend with an evil grin. "Protest all you want, babe – you can't fool a succubus. You are totally turned on right now!"

Lauren threw up her arms in frustration. "Dammit that is so not fair!"

Bo leaned in for a spine tingling kiss that pretty much turned Lauren into a trembling puddle of desire. They kept kissing until they heard the honking of several cars behind them since they had been too preoccupied to notice that the light turned green. With a defiant roar of the engine, Bo held up her middle finger and turned toward the clubhouse. Her girlfriend's sexual aura was burning white hot so she had no time to lose.

* * *

"You're the experienced world traveler. Are you looking for something adventurous like exploring the Amazon, going on safari, camping in Alaska, that sort of thing? Or do you wanna go somewhere warm and sunny and just veg out? Like the Bahamas or the French Riviera?"

Bo and Lauren were lounging in bed after an afternoon romp of muscle-car-induced lovemaking; they were enjoying their new second favorite pastime – imagining how they could spend their recent windfall. They had talked about houses and potential neighborhoods to settle in, but now it was time to be frivolous and plan that vacation Lauren so desperately needed.

"I know it's a cliché, but I've always wanted to try out one of those lesbian cruises. I've had quite enough adventure these last few years. I just want to chill out and turn my brain off for a while – plus, seeing you prance around in a bikini while everyone drools over what they can't have is kind of a turn on." Lauren leaned in for a steamy kiss which Bo enthusiastically returned.

"Are you saying you actually _want_ other women to ogle me?" Bo chuckled incredulously.

"It's actually kind of an ego boost – to be around all those women who want to have you but also want to _be_ me – because _I'm_ the one who bagged the hottie." Lauren sighed melodramatically. "So now you know my real secret – I'm incredibly shallow!"

"Wow babe, that's quite a reversal of attitude. Kinda hot actually." She winked impishly at her girlfriend. "It just makes me happy that you don't feel threatened by other people wanting me, that you finally know in your heart that you're the only one I want. It made me so sad when I realized you were constantly living in fear that I would be taken from you. That's when I knew I was doing a lousy job showing you how much I love you."

Lauren rolled over to get on top of her girlfriend and showered her neck and jaw with sensual open mouth kisses. "Let's not waste time dwelling on the past now that our present is so damn awesome. Besides, a lot of my insecurities were my own doing – and my time is much better spent doing…you!" She playfully nipped at Bo's bottom lip before slipping her tongue into her lover's mouth.

"Mmmm…well it is my favorite pastime." Bo gave Lauren a playful peck on her nose and lips. "So when do you have to start your new job?"

"Seriously?" Lauren giggled. "You have me naked and on top of you and you want to talk shop?"

"Well you got me thinking about sunshine and bikinis so I was wondering how much time we have for vacation."

"I have to report two weeks from Monday. Taft would love for me to have started last week, but I promised Hale I would work  
up to his inauguration so I can tie up loose ends at the lab and hospital. So I was only able to put him off for one more week after that. So not much of a window to book a cruise, they only have them a few times a year. I guess we could look and see if they're any lesbian resorts somewhere. Otherwise we'll just have to get in the car and improvise. But if we do that, I'm driving the Audi – I'm not about to let you drive cross country in your sex-mobile until you learn to control your lead foot!" She playfully smacked the side of Bo's ass and dove in for another kiss before Bo could argue.

"But I'm really sorry about the timetable babe, I know we wanted more time but Taft has really been chomping at the bit for me to get started. But I get four weeks paid vacation as part of my benefits package so we'll be able to do something else fun later."

"So I guess house hunting will have to be done on our own time while we juggle our work schedules." Bo pouted exaggeratedly then suddenly her eyes opened wide in realization. "Oh shit, I almost forgot – we don't have much time to find dresses for the inaugural ball! Can't wait to twirl you around in the ballroom and show you off!" She boasted with a sly smile.

Lauren slapped her forehead as something dawned on her. "If they're expecting formal ballroom dancing then we're screwed!"

"Well you know I was raised an old fashioned country girl – I at least know how to waltz. Besides you already know how to do that hot spin and dip move. We put on quite a show at your party!" Bo grinned and playfully kissed Lauren's nose again.

Lauren scoffed. "But I don't think that's the show anyone remembers. I think Tamsin flying through the air and landing on her ass in a bloody heap made a much stronger impression." She deadpanned.

"Ah, good times!" Bo sighed wistfully.

"So anyway…back to vacation. What's this new case Dyson has you working on? Do you think you can get away for a while even if it isn't closed by then?"

"Ugh…they better let me off," Bo groused. "It's really just a boring surveillance job that's been going on for weeks now. Very tedious. It's just they have to cover a lot of area so they need as many warm bodies as possible. So I'm not exactly indispensable. "

"So what's going on?"

"A lot of stuff has been disappearing off the compound and there are absolutely no leads. They didn't notice it at first because it didn't happen that often, but now stuff is disappearing faster so they think it's all related."

"What are they stealing?"

Bo sighed exasperatedly. "That's what's so bizarre – all different kinds a crap. Stuff from the archives, the relic vault, random petty theft. But they really got noticed when stuff went missing from the armory. They think this has been going on for three months or so but only started connecting the dots a couple weeks ago. And they haven't been able to figure out what the person or people want with the stuff because it all seems so random. But they're trying to keep it quiet. Hale doesn't need any scandals before he gets sworn in.

"Shit, that would be a disaster. Once he's in, he's in. But before he's inaugurated they can still get rid of him with a no confidence vote. If he doesn't stay in power the Fae could be stuck in the dark ages for another thousand years." Lauren shuddered at the thought. Of course, Lauren was mostly concerned about the future of the Fae, but the less mature side of her just didn't want anything bad to interrupt the euphoria she had been enjoying for the last four days. _I have soo had my fill of Fae drama._


	27. Paging Dr Lewis Part I

A/N: The following two chapters might be upsetting to some people, but I thought it was an important issue to explore as Bo &amp; Lauren learn to navigate the logistics of their unique relationship. Their commitment to "creative monogamy" is about to be severely tested.

* * *

**_8 days later…_**

"HELP! SOMEBODY **_HELP_** ME! GET DR. LEWIS!"

The ER desk nurse looked up when she heard a frantic man bellowing for help. A shirtless, shoeless man, his face and neck covered in blood, came sprinting into the ER. In his arms was a barely conscious, moaning woman. She was wearing mostly black leather, and what appeared to be elbow-length black gloves. As the pair ran past the desk into a small crowd of nurses who helped get the patient onto a gurney, the desk nurse shuddered as she got a closer look. Those weren't gloves at all. Her hands and forearms were burned to a blackened bloody crisp; her fingers looked as if they were made of charcoal.

She grabbed the phone for the PA system, "Dr. Lewis to the ER. Dr. Lewis to the ER!" Next she switched over to the main phone system and hit the speed dial for Dr. Lewis' cell phone.

Lauren was already jogging down the hall toward the ER when her phone rang. She immediately answered, "I'm in route now!"

"Dr. Lewis we have a severe burn trauma to the upper extremities in bed two."

Lauren suddenly heard a man screaming in the background.

_"__Call Dr. Lewis! Get Lauren! Tell her it's **BO**!"_

Lauren's blood ran cold, but thanks to years of training, Lauren quickly snapped out of her personal terror and in to doctor mode. She skidded to a stop and turned back toward her lab while barking into the phone, "Listen to me. This is a succubus trauma! Alert the donor team! Can you tell me how many are on duty tonight?"

"One moment… four were scheduled. Wait – one called in sick."

"DAMMIT! Page everyone whether they're here or not!" Lauren ran into her lab office to grab something out of her desk and quickly pocketed it; then raced to the ER as if her life depended on it – because it did.

* * *

"_STOP_ IT! YOU'RE _HURTING_ HER! **GET OFF ME, GODDAMMIT!** BO, BO, _PLEASE_ I'M **BEGGING** YOU!" Dyson screamed and growled as four nurses tried to pull him away from the gurney with little success.

"Sir! You need to step away so we can work!"

"**DYSON!**" Lauren yelled as she ran into the ER. "Dyson you need to calm down!"

"Lauren, TELL HER! Tell her to let me heal her! Dammit she won't let me because of **YOU**! Please don't do this to her!" Lauren had never seen Dyson this unhinged; tears were streaming from his eyes, making deep tracks in the blood on his face. His angry screams were full of heartbreaking anguish.

"Dyson we have to act fast or she'll go into shock. We don't have time for this!" She turned to the ER doctor on duty. "Thanks for getting her started, Dr. Hargrove. This is a succubus trauma, so I'll be taking lead on this case." The doctor nodded and pressed his way through the nurses to make room for Lauren at Bo's bedside.

"BUT THEY **HURT** HER!" Dyson growled. "They drilled this huge needle gun thing into her shoulder bone and she screamed. How can you make her go through this?! Tell her to let me heal her! **PLEASE**!"

Lauren pushed her way into the stall and made a quick visual assessment. Her heart was screaming as she looked at Bo's unrecognizable arms. "Dyson, she has no viable veins. They had to give her an IO infusion directly into her bone marrow. She needs fluids, antibiotics and morphine. Your wrestling with the staff wasted critical time and we're running behind. Now get it together and go grab some pillows and elevate her feet at least thirty centimeters and then stay out of the way!" Dyson was about to protest when Lauren turned to him, eyes blazing. "**_GO!_**" He turned away in a huff and quickly grabbed some pillows from empty beds and propped up Bo's feet then quietly stepped back to give the trauma team room. He leaned on the nearest wall then spun around to punch it, leaving a gaping hole in the dry wall; but it had little effect releasing his rage and torment.

Several nurses crowded around Bo as Lauren barked instructions. "Ok, people we need to pick up the pace! I need these clothes cut off – we should already have started a catheter. And –"

"A _catheter_?" Dyson interrupted angrily from the sidelines. "Dammit Lauren, what the hell does urine have to do with a burn?"

"Because we need to monitor her fluid output! Dyson I don't have time to explain everything! …Hey, someone get another bag of lactated Ringer's solution ready to go. Since she's a succubus we'll be deviating from standard burn care. No gauze wrapping, it can interfere with skin regeneration of the open wounds. Just keep a layer of gauze under her arms where they touch the sheet. And no debridement right now, just a saline rinse. We want her body to reclaim as much tissue as possible. It will reject what it can't use later. Just take extra care not to disturb the exposed areas."

The sound of a nurse repeatedly announcing vital statistics from the monitors sailed above the cacophony of the trauma team's frenzied activity and Lauren calling out instructions. After several minutes Lauren somehow heard through the din that Bo's incoherent moaning started to soften, indicating her breathing was getting shallower, and a check with the nurse on the monitors confirmed her oxygen levels were decreasing. Then she detected the smallest hint of shivering, one of the early signs of shock.

"WE NEED A BLANKET IN HERE! Her temperature's dropping – we cannot afford for a succubus to go into shock! It is absolutely imperative we keep her conscious!"

"Please don't put her through all this! Let me help! I don't care if she takes all the chi I have!" Dyson cried desperately.

"Dyson there's no time – you wouldn't be able to heal enough of the damage before it's too late! We deal with the shock first, heal the burn later. Now snap out of it! You're no use to Bo if you're falling apart."

"So you'll let me heal her later?"

"You can help her heal but not sexually. We have a protocol in place. Now just listen to me and do exactly what I say, we have to work fast." She bent down to talk to her love. "Hey baby, I'm here. I know it hurts, they gave you something for the pain, it'll kick in soon. I'm going to take care of you. We have to keep you conscious so you can feed, ok sweetie?" Bo nodded deliriously beneath her oxygen mask, and Lauren quickly kissed her forehead.

"Someone get a cannula in here, she needs her mouth free! Where's the donor team?" One of the nurses attending to the monitors called out Bo's vitals again, causing Lauren to frown.

"What do you mean donors?" Dyson demanded impatiently.

"We have a team of volunteers on call to donate chi in case of an emergency."

"You're too goddamn jealous to let me heal her now, so you'll make her wait for a stranger to do it? What the hell is wrong with you? Dammit Lauren, how can you let her suffer like this?" Dyson was beyond outraged.

"Dyson, calm down! It is Bo's choice to heal _without_ sex, even in an emergency. And this is severe enough that even _you_ don't have enough chi. She's going to need multiple sources. And under the circumstances the last thing she wants right now is a gang bang! So we are going to follow procedure – now shut the hell up and let me DO MY JOB!"

Lauren turned her attention back to Bo and stroked her hair. "You still with me baby?" Bo simply moaned, but Lauren was satisfied that she was at least conscious. A nurse quickly swapped out the oxygen mask with the cannula, the small tube around the bottom of Bo's nose providing oxygen without obstructing her mouth.

"Donor here!" called out a young man wearing scrubs.

"Get over here, she needs chi fast to keep her out of shock. Dyson, you take a turn too." Lauren stroked Bo's forehead, her heart breaking as tears streamed down Bo's dirty face. "Ok we have a donor here, go ahead and feed sweetie." Lauren stepped aside and the donor leaned down close to Bo and opened his mouth. Bo weakly began to draw out the donor's chi. "Ok Dyson, you're next."

Bo moaned and shook her head, trying to get Lauren's attention. "Bo, sweetie, its ok. Don't you worry. Now let Dyson help you." Lauren was deeply touched that Bo was determined to stick with the 'no Dyson' rule, but Lauren wasn't the slightest bit concerned about it. She was happy to accept chi from anyone at this point.

"Bo, please, you need to take my chi, it's ok." Bo finally turned her head toward Dyson and fed, long and deep, until he started to feel lightheaded and wobbled a bit.

"Ok that's enough sweetie, you'll get more. Dyson, she may need you again later so you need to recoup. Go sit down for a while."

"But –"

"Just do it!"

Dyson dejectedly obeyed and retreated to a chair against the wall.

Lauren checked the monitors again and wasn't happy with Bo's blood pressure yet. "Where are the damn donors?"

"Here!" Another man and a woman in scrubs pushed their way into the stall.

"Alright listen, right now we are just trying to keep shock at bay. We need to get her BP up. She's probably not metabolizing the chi efficiently, so we need to go to phase two. Wait outside the curtain and be ready to feed her on my signal."

"What's phase two?" demanded Dyson.

"Dyson we don't have time for the play-by-play! Bo needs to be aroused, ok? Now, stay out of the way until I need you again!"

Lauren pulled the curtain around the stall and rushed to Bo's side. "Hey baby, you're doing so good. I need to give you some help to use the chi better, ok? No time to be shy." She gave Bo a reassuring smile, stroked her face, and dove in for a passionate kiss. It took a few seconds, but Bo slowly responded. Lauren gently touched Bo's breast, gradually adding more pressure and stroking her nipple. Bo finally started to murmur as the kiss escalated which Lauren took as a good sign.

"That's it baby, try to focus on the good feelings. I love you so much, Bo. You're going to be fine, I promise. Now I'm going to give you a little more help, ok?" She carefully pulled back the blanket and Lauren reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bullet vibrator and put it on the lowest setting and gently nestled it between Bo's legs and then put the blanket back in place. "Ok sweetie, can you feel that? That feels good, right?" Bo nodded and Lauren resumed kissing her and massaging her breast while whispering soothing sweet nothings in her ear.

Lauren noticed that Bo started softly grunting and murmuring louder and more often. "How are you doing, babe?" Bo opened her eyes and Lauren breathed a sigh of relief when she saw they were blue, although not glowing, which was probably the best Bo could do with low blood pressure. "Ok, get in here guys she's ready!"

Lauren quickly pulled back the curtain to let the donors in. She stepped out of the way and the two volunteers rushed to both sides of the bed and leaned in for Bo to take turns feeding from them. Lauren anxiously watched the monitor then exhaled loudly when Bo's pulse and blood pressure stabilized. "That's my girl! You're doing so good babe." She rubbed one of Bo's feet affectionately and sent a beaming smile to her girlfriend.

"Ok guys, take a break and try to recover a little bit. Go get some coffee or better yet a sports drink. Just don't stay away too long. We'll need you again once you've recovered enough." Once they left the bedside, Lauren discreetly reached under the blanket to turn off the bullet vibe.

Lauren walked over to Dyson, who was slumped over with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. "Ok she's somewhat stable for the moment. Now what the hell happened, Dyson? What did this?"

"Fire Fae."

"Fire Fae, like Serena-head-of-security Fire Fae?"

"It _WAS_ Serena! She went rogue, long story – doesn't matter anymore. We've been keeping her under surveillance and we got ambushed. Tamsin and I were fighting her goon squad and Serena went after Bo. Bo got disarmed and had to fight hand to hand. She was deflecting the blows with her hands but then Serena knocked her over and pinned her down, then grabbed Bo's hands and just held on to them. Oh god, Lauren…" Dyson choked out forlornly, "the screaming. I've never heard screams like that before."

Lauren's resolve was about to break as her eyes started to sting and a huge lump formed in her throat. She breathed in a deep breath and put her hand on Dyson's shoulder. "I know this is hard. But I have to keep it together because Bo needs a competent doctor, not a freaked out girlfriend. Same goes for you. We help Bo now, fall apart later, ok?"

Dyson nodded his head and sniffled deeply several times to rein in his emotions.

"Ok, so this was a Fire Fae so there weren't any chemical accelerants, so that's good. She was actually lucky to be sleeveless and wearing so much leather, otherwise the rest of her clothes would have quickly gone up in flames and that would have been a whole other nightmare. How was the fire put out? You didn't use a fire extinguisher did you?"

"No. Tamsin knocked Serena off of her and jumped on Bo to smother the flames. Tamsin got burned too but it wasn't as severe. I think there's a doc looking at her in another room."

Lauren took a moment to process the fact that she was going to have to take Tamsin off her shit list for saving Bo and getting burnt in the process. She didn't have to like it, but it was outweighed by her gratitude. "So what happened to Serena?"

"I shifted and took out the last of the henchmen and as soon as Tamsin knocked Serena over I ripped her throat out." Dyson snarled menacingly.

"Good." Lauren spat out bitterly. "Uh, that was the pissed off girlfriend talking, not the doctor." Dyson smirked half-heartedly.

"_WHERE IS SHE?_ **WHERE'S BO?** LAUREN? LET ME THROUGH DAMMIT!" Kenzi frantically burst into the trauma room, looking white as a ghost and her eyes blazing.

"Tamsin must've called her." Dyson concluded.

"Kenzi!" Lauren rushed up to Bo's bestie. "You really shouldn't be in here!"

"Like hell! Dyson's here!"

"Yes, but he – oh fuck it. Just try to stay out of the way. She's stable now but the burn is severe. It's probably best if you don't see it…"

"Fuck that." Kenzi pushed her way to Bo's bedside and stopped in her tracks when she saw the horrific burns. She pushed down a wave of nausea, willing herself to keep it together. "Hey BoBo. When I said you were smokin' hot I didn't mean for you to take it literally." Kenzi conjured up a sly smile but it was betrayed by the tears in her eyes.

Bo looked at her friend with unfocused eyes and grinned ever so slightly. Kenzi stroked Bo's hair lovingly. "You hang in there cutie, Hotpants will have you fixed up in no time."

Lauren bent down on the other side of the bed to whisper in Bo's ear. "Hey baby. We're gonna get you some more chi soon ok?"

Bo nodded slightly. "Love you" she rasped with difficulty.

"Oh Bo, I love you too. You are so strong baby!" Lauren tenderly stroked Bo's face and enveloped her lips in a lingering kiss. "You're doing a great job, love." She kissed Bo's forehead then stood back up and checked the steadily beeping monitors which thankfully indicated that Bo's vitals were still stable.

Lauren walked back over to Dyson and indicated Kenzi to join them. "Ok, the off duty donors should be here any minute. But we have a serious problem. In the event of a severe injury, the protocol is for chi donors to get Bo stabilized and then I can finish healing her at home over the course of several days. But it's one thing for Bo's body to close up a severe wound, and quite another to regenerate large amounts of tissue. Technically she's stable for the moment, but not only is she open to severe infection but there's so much damage that there's no way I can heal her before gangrene sets in and we have to amputate, and I'm pretty sure a succubus can't regrow a limb no matter how much chi she feeds on. Right now she needs the most potent kind of chi and a lot of it. And I just can't see how I can ask these donors to do something so far beyond what they volunteered for."

* * *

A/N 2: My sincere apologies to any medical professionals who are appalled at my layman's attempt at writing a hospital scene. All my medical training came from Google. ;-)


	28. Paging Dr Lewis Part II

A/N: 'Paging Dr. Lewis' was originally one big long chapter, so I had to go back and figure out the best place to break them apart. Apparently I must have done something right, because judging by the comments, the resulting cliffhanger left you scratching your heads - or rather wringing your hands! LOL. Your burning questions are finally about to be answered. Thanks for reading! :-)

* * *

_**PREVIOUSLY**: "Right now she needs the most potent kind of chi and a lot of it. And I just can't see how I can ask these donors to do something so far beyond what they volunteered for."_

"And what the hell does that mean exactly? You actually think someone is going to turn down a chance to fuck a succubus? You're not going to lack for volunteers!"

Everyone looked up to see Tamsin leaning against the door, wearing a lecherous grin. She was covered in cuts and bruises and she had several stitches in her forehead. She was wearing what appeared to be one of Dyson's leather vests, most likely her shirt was destroyed when she jumped on Bo's burning hands, the evidence of which was some raw, angry redness and blistering visible on her upper arms and chest above the vest.

"Tamsin, Bo is _not_ going to have sex to heal! So we have to work around it." Lauren snapped impatiently. She really didn't want to have to go over this again.

"What a load of bullshit! What you really mean is that **YOU **aren't going to **LET **her have sex to heal, even if it kills her! You're a real goddamn piece of work, '_Doctor_!' Just get the hell over yourself and do what's best for **BO**!" Tamsin's voice dripped with venom.

"Oh for shit's sake!" Lauren blurted in disgust. "Bo is going to need chi from _many_ people! You really think she wants to have an orgy in her condition?"

"Well if she's not going to fuck her way back to health, what are you so damned worried about asking these donor people to do?"

Lauren sighed heavily and ran her hand through her hair. She really hadn't wanted to _ever_ tell anyone – especially Dyson and Tamsin – about their 'creative' feeding techniques. "She needs the most potent chi – the kind where both she and the donor are highly aroused. They don't have to have sex, they just both need to be turned on. One way to achieve that is through proxy feeding. Other people have the sex, Bo just feeds off them."

"So _that's_ how you two have been doing it? I was right! You _are_ having group sex! Well, sorta – way to go, Kinkypants!" Kenzie giggled childishly while Lauren fumed.

"_KENZI!_ I don't need this now! Either suck it up and act like an adult or get the hell out of my ER! And the same goes for you too, Tamsin!"

"Sorry." Kenzi's apology was barely audible, but Tamsin's only response was to roll her eyes and wave her hand dismissively.

Lauren took a moment to compose herself so she could get back to the subject at hand. "Anyway, that's what would work the fastest and give the best results. But how can I..." Lauren rubbed her tired eyes as she tried to think her way out of her dilemma. She finally just sighed in defeated frustration. "Dammit... That's just not something I can ask my staff to do. We're just going to have to find a lot more donors and make her feed around the clock on the weak stuff, and –" Lauren stopped midsentence as an idea formed in her head. "Actually, there might be a way to compromise…they may not all be willing, but if some agree to, it should still help considerably."

"So what are we talking about here? I wanna help, but I'm not sure I can just bang a random dude…" Kenzi glanced over to Bo and her heart broke again as she looked at the burns. "Well, ok maybe if he's really cute."

"No banging needed, but I'm sure there's going to be a severe amount of blushing if anyone volunteers." Lauren dug into her pocket and pulled out her keys. "Kenzi I need you to go to my office and get my laptop and also my wallet that's in the desk. This key's for the office and this one's for the desk."

"Okaaay. Be back in a jiffy." Kenzi took the keys and jogged out of the ER and headed for the elevators.

"Who ordered the succubus donors?" Two women and a man came rushing into the ER; they were dressed in regular clothes since they had been off duty when they were paged.

"Bed two!" Lauren waved them over. "Thanks for coming. I think we should have two more on the way. The patient is stabilized, but not ready to return home. We're dealing with third degree burns. I'll brief you all when the others get here. While we're waiting, go track down O' Toole, Sanders, and Ortiz. They're probably out by the vending machines. They donated earlier but I need everyone assembled, ok?"

They hurried off to find the other donors and Lauren turned to go check on Bo again. She rubbed Bo's feet soothingly. "Hey sweetheart, you still with us? I know you must be sleepy." Lauren moved around the bed so she could stroke Bo's face and hair. "Good morphine, huh?"

With the tiniest hint of a smile, Bo murmured, "Mm-hmm."

Lauren gently kissed her girlfriend, pleasantly surprised when Bo's tongue slipped into her mouth to caress her own. "Mmmm, baby. Still feeling a little frisky?" Lauren smiled brightly as Bo winked at her. She continued to kiss Bo leisurely and stroke her hair for a few more minutes.

"Hey doc I got your laptop, and look what else I found!" Kenzi yelled, rushing back into the ER, Hale and Trick trailing closely behind her.

"Thanks Kenz. Oh hi guys. Listen everyone, we have a lot of people taking turns helping Bo so try your best not to crowd around the bed too much, ok?

Lauren turned back to Bo. "I'll be back soon, love. Do you want to see Trick?" Bo nodded weakly. Lauren stroked Bo's head gently and went to join the others crowded outside the stall curtain. Considering how many people were there for Bo, she was grateful it was a slow day for Fae emergencies since the ER was otherwise nearly empty. "Trick do you want to see Bo?"

"Yes please! If it's ok…" Trick meekly answered, his eyes full of unshed tears.

"You can go see her, but I have to tell you, it's going to be hard to look at. Her arms and hands are severely burned and they aren't wrapped so be very careful not to touch them." She warned Bo's grandfather in a low whisper. "Do your best not to react too strongly when you see the burns, we don't want Bo to get any more upset than she already is."

Trick nodded in understanding and made his way to his granddaughter's bedside.

Lauren pulled Kenzi aside away from the others. "Ok Kenzi I need you to do something for me – and no jokes, understood?" Kenzi nodded contritely. "You have my wallet? Ok, I need you to use my credit card and go online and sign up for a porn site." Kenzi's eyebrows shot to her hairline. "Find one that has a little bit of something for everyone."

"uh, ok." Kenzi took the laptop to the counter opposite Bo's bed. _When Bo is healed, I am going to have sooo much ammunition!_

"Donors here!"

"Bed two!" Lauren yelled toward the voices. Two more men in street clothes jogged into the ER and joined Bo's trauma team. The other six donors arrived behind them a few seconds later.

"Ok people, here's the situation. Our patient has third degree burns extending from both elbows to the fingertips. We've been able to feed her enough to stave off shock and her vitals are steady. However, the tissue damage is so severe she can't heal at home the conventional way because it would take too long and she's at risk for sepsis and amputation. There is a large amount of tissue to be regenerated and that means she needs _lots_ of chi."

The group of donors murmured amongst themselves and nodded in understanding.

"So I'm going to have to ask you to do something you didn't originally sign up for. And this is strictly on a volunteer basis." She sighed heavily. "Bo needs heavy infusions of the most potent kind of chi, which can only be obtained when the succubus and the donor are highly aroused, normally that's achieved through sexual intercourse."

The donors reacted quietly, but they were clearly disconcerted. Some blushed and some turned pale; feet shuffled, eyes widened, throats were cleared, and one woman gasped, "Oh, boy!"

"Of course, in this situation sex is neither practical nor appropriate." The donors visibly relaxed again. "What's important is arousal. I know this is awkward, but I'm asking for volunteers to go behind the curtain and do whatever you need to do to get aroused, to whatever degree you're comfortable with, considering the circumstances." The donors just stood there in shock, not really wanting to make direct eye contact with anyone.

"We have a laptop opened to a website with uh, adult material in case that would be helpful. I will prepare the patient for feeding, and whenever you're ready, come out from the curtain and offer your chi. Gentlemen, if necessary, there are folded up gowns that you can hold in front of you, to uh, preserve your modesty when you come out from behind the curtain. Anyone who isn't comfortable with this can offer their chi non-sexually, as per the usual protocol. And it goes without saying, let's all make an effort to be as discreet and professional as possible."

Lauren looked at the assembled group hopefully, but they all remained immobile and quiet. The donor closest to Bo's bed, a frumpy middle-aged woman with frizzy brown hair, stared intently at Bo's burns. Suddenly she threw her hands up in exasperation. "Oh hell, come _on_ people! Do you really want this woman to lose her hands because you were too prudish to help her? I don't want that on my conscience!"

She marched over to Lauren, who smiled with heartfelt gratitude. "Where's the smut, Doctor?"

Lauren pulled back the curtain to the empty stall next to Bo. "Kenzi do you have the laptop ready?"

"Here ya go. I have four tabs open to different parts of the site so you can uh, quickly find something you like." Kenzi handed the laptop to the donor who took it and disappeared behind the curtain.

"Ok everybody give us some distance, just stay in shouting range. This is obviously unnerving for all those involved, so the fewer people nearby the better. Oh, and Dyson, we're all going to be here for a while so you might as well have the desk nurse get you some scrubs, or at least a shirt." Bo's friends and family and the rest of the donors filed out of the ER to hang out in the sitting area near the admitting desk.

Lauren pulled the curtain around Bo's bed and returned to her girlfriend's side. "Hey baby. You're going to get some good stuff now. We have some people willing to proxy for you, ok? So I'm going to help you get ready again." Once again Lauren started out kissing Bo passionately and then added the breast massage and then turned on the bullet vibe. They kissed longingly for several minutes and then Bo pulled back to show Lauren her slightly glowing eyes. "Love you Lo," she whispered roughly.

"I love you too, babe. You are just amazing!" She stroked Bo's hair a few times and then called toward the curtain, "We're ready whenever you are, Sandra!"

"Ok hang on a minute," came the breathy reply. While they waited, Lauren went back to kissing her girlfriend so that she could keep Bo prepared to feed.

A few minutes later Sandra pulled back the curtain; her face was flushed, her breathing irregular, and her clothes disheveled. "Ok, ok, I'm ready!" She quickly leaned over the bed and Bo began sucking long drafts of the life giving chi, her eyes glowing brighter the more she fed.

"Thank you Sandra, I can't tell you how grateful I am."

"You're more than welcome Doctor. I'll be blushing clear into next week, but it's the most fun I've ever had working overtime!" She giggled euphorically. "I'll go send in the next victim – er, volunteer!" She gave Lauren a supportive wink and ran off to find the next donor.

It took two more feedings before Lauren saw a noticeable change on Bo's burns. Some of the dead, charred tissue started to slough off on its own as a thin layer of new cells developed underneath, but there was still a long way to go. Bo's fingers hadn't yet improved much.

By the fifth donor, Bo started showing signs of distress, whimpering in pain several times during one feed. The donor got a panicked look on his face every time Bo cried out. "Don't stop, she needs to keep going." Lauren instructed him. "I'm giving her more morphine, her nerves are regenerating and they aren't very happy about it." She stroked Bo's hair to soothe her. "Hang in there babe, you're doing great."

Shortly after the fifth feed, Lauren looked up to see Kenzi next to the curtain, Her face was beet red and Lauren couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or crying – probably both.

"Kenzi, are you absolutely sure about this? I don't want the weirdness to affect your friendship."

Kenzi sighed heavily. "I have to do my part. I know I can't give her much, being human and all, but – she's my Bo, ya know?"

Lauren nodded and smiled affectionately. "Yeah. I know."

"Besides, I already had to make out with her in Hecuba while wearing my slutty trailer trash outfit. That ranked pretty high on the weirdness scale." She stepped closer so she could address Bo directly. "But if you ever make fun of me for this I swear I will put itching powder in all of your thongs!"

Bo grinned devilishly at her bestie. "Thanks Kenz. You're the best," she rasped.

When Bo finished feeding from Kenzi, Hale arrived to take a turn. "Uh, Doctor," he smirked. "I want to help Bo, but since my inauguration is coming up this weekend, I really hope this doesn't get around since it will pretty much destroy my Ashly image."

Lauren stifled a giggle and Bo responded with a droopy-eyed grin and a slightly slurred whisper. "My lips are sealed."

Hale smiled good naturedly and disappeared behind the curtain.

One by one, all the donors eventually took a turn – including Trick, who was extremely relieved when Bo and Lauren requested that he donate non-sexually. Feeding from Kenzi was already strange enough for Bo, feeding from Trick that way was a step too far even for a sexually liberated succubus.

Lauren stroked Bo's face and gave her a quick peck. "Ok, everyone has taken a turn so we'll have to wait a while before we can go again. You just try to rest for a bit, baby." Lauren turned and ventured out to see the others so she could address the group.

"Alright people, each of you has had a turn so we need to take a break for a couple hours, then we'll start again with the four original phase one and two donors so everyone gets maximum time to recove –"

"Why Doctor, I'm so _hurt_! Everyone _knows_ that a Valkyrie has the best juice." Tamsin stood up and aimed a lascivious grin at Lauren, who just stared back dumbfounded.

"Uhh…" Lauren was speechless, both from surprise and horror. She definitely had _not_ planned on including Tamsin in all of this, even though she knew it was irrational considering the dire circumstances.

Without waiting for Lauren's approval Tamsin sashayed toward the ER, then suddenly stopped and turned back, leering salaciously. "Come on Wolf Boy, we're gonna go get our proxy on! She needs the good stuff and porn ain't gonna do it for me, so it's time to take one for the team." She roughly grabbed Dyson's arm and dragged the shocked and mortified shifter back to the ER.

"Oh god," Lauren groaned as she covered her face and reluctantly followed the new sex proxies back to the ER. "Bo is going to _kill_ me."

* * *

By two o'clock in the morning, all the donors – except Kenzi – had taken two or three turns feeding Bo, and everyone was utterly depleted. Lauren had given Bo a sedative so she could finally get some well-deserved sleep. The group of friends and donors congregated outside the ER so Lauren could address everyone.

"I'm pleased to report that Bo has healed enough to go home tomorrow. She has regenerated enough skin so she no longer has any open wounds. She still has a lot of healing to do before her scars disappear and she will still be in some pain which we can control with medication. But all of you have been drained past the point of what's usually considered safe – so you should take at least three days off and rest, and make sure you have someone to check on you periodically. And be sure you drink plenty of fluids, preferably with electrolytes such as a sports drink. Considering this was the first time we've had to employ the new succubus trauma protocol, your willingness to adapt to unforeseen conditions was nothing short of heroic, and because of you a brave young woman still has all of her limbs."

For the first time since Bo was admitted, Lauren's steely composure started to waiver as her eyes watered and her voice cracked. "I cannot begin to thank you enough for the sacrifice you made for Bo. All of you stepped up and rose to the occasion far above and beyond the call of duty."

"Yeah, some of us rose more than others, right boys?" True to form, Kenzi just couldn't hold in the wisecrack.

Lauren rolled her eyes and sighed in frustration. "Kenzi…"

"What? BoBo is finally out of the woods, I can't make jokes now?" Kenzi whined petulantly.

"As I was saying…As a medical professional, I am immensely proud of your exemplary performance. And as Bo's girlfriend," A few tears finally spilled onto Lauren's cheeks, but she held her composure. "I am in complete awe and am deeply moved by what you did for us today. You worked tirelessly to give Bo a gift of immeasurable value and I am profoundly humbled and grateful. From the bottom of my heart I thank you all, thank you, thank you so, so much!"

Sandra stepped forward and enthusiastically cheered, "And let's give Dr. Lewis a big round of applause for successfully leading this team to victory with unmatched skill and grace under pressure!"

The small crowd erupted in raucous applause and whistles and Kenzi ran up and gave Lauren a heartfelt bear hug. Lauren just smiled self-deprecatingly but inside she was dancing with joy. Trick, Hale, and Dyson all took a turn hugging her; in a rare display of emotion, Dyson held Lauren tightly, as they both wept happy tears. "Thank you. Thank you, Lauren. You were amazing. I never should have doubted you. I'm so sorry."

"It's ok, Dyson. I know you only wanted what's best for Bo. But trust me next time, ok?"

"I will, Doctor. I will."

As Dyson gave her a final squeeze, Lauren saw Tamsin across the room, sitting alone. It was an unguarded moment; Tamsin assumed no one was watching her. She looked hollow and haunted, her eyes filled to the brim. When Dyson released her, Lauren cautiously approached the brooding Valkyrie.

"Dyson told me what you did, Tamsin. You put out the flames without regard for your personal safety and undoubtedly saved Bo from a more horrific fate. And I won't forget it. Thank you for looking out for her."

Tamsin's painful expression instantly turned to a brazen, suggestive leer, as if daring Lauren to get pissed off. "Yeah, well, I was just trying to cop a feel."

For an instant Lauren was tempted to be offended, but she quickly realized that Tamsin was just hiding behind her usual false bravado because she didn't know what to do with her feelings. Lauren smiled sympathetically. "In that case Tamsin, I'm glad you followed your instincts." Lauren nodded and turned back to the rest of her friends, leaving Tamsin to be alone with her thoughts.

* * *

A/N 2: Those of you who got worried that Bo was going to break 'the rules,' I'd love to get your feedback after you've read part 2. :-) thanks again for reading!


	29. Post-Mortem Processing

"This totally sucks."

"Sorry sweetie, but hospitals aren't known for their haute cuisine. Just be glad the kitchen isn't run by Aswangs."

Bo was too frustrated to notice Lauren's joke. "No it's not that. It's these useless mitts of mine." Bo shook her bound hands in frustration. Her burns were covered in tight pressure garments, and her still delicate skin was too taut and painful to allow for much dexterity. "I feel ridiculous having you feed me – in the non-sexy way, of course." She groused.

Lauren put down the spoonful of bland hospital oatmeal and lovingly stroked Bo's cheek. "Oh baby, you have nothing to be ashamed of." Lauren affectionately tucked a lock of Bo's hair behind her ear. "Besides, I like pampering you." She stared at Bo's breakfast sympathetically. "So does that oatmeal taste as bad as it looks?"

"That's supposed to be oatmeal? More like glue and sawdust." Bo whined petulantly.

"Poor baby. When we get home later I guess I'm going to have to feed you in more ways than one!" Lauren leaned in for a brief but sensual kiss.

"Mmmm…I don't know what I look forward to the most – the food, or the healing."

"I'm pretty sure it's the sex!" giggled Lauren. "Healing is just a bonus." Bo rolled her eyes melodramatically.

"You'll be back to normal soon, babe." Lauren affectionately patted Bo's thigh. "Just be grateful you're a succubus. Burns like this can take years to fully heal for a human, and the scars never completely go away."

"I'm just not used to being helpless, I guess."

"I know baby. You've always been so strong and independent, and so often you're the one who takes care of me. But we have to take care of each other, sweetie. Part of loving someone is allowing yourself to be loved in return. You don't always have to be the strong one."

"Well, I did once say that you're the only one I could ever surrender to." Bo leered playfully.

"I remember." Lauren chuckled happily at the sexy memory and then her mood became more introspective. "Bo…"

"Yeah?"

"I hope you know that night was the most profoundly beautiful and deeply moving experience of my life. It still gives me chills just thinking about it. Do you remember how I asked you to just let go, to let me love you, and trust me to take care of your needs?"

Bo nodded, unexpectedly mesmerized by Lauren's declaration.

"The same applies here, ok?"

"Ok." Bo's reply was barely a whisper. As she was reminded of the magical night when she let go of her control so completely and trusted Lauren to love her even in her most physically and emotionally vulnerable state, something inside Bo started to crack and crumble. She stared helplessly at Lauren as tears slowly welled up and her face flushed.

"Sweetheart, what is it?"

Bo couldn't hold back the flood any longer. All of the helplessness, rage, agonizing pain, and blinding terror of the last twenty-four hours suddenly came pouring out in a torrent of convulsive sobs. Lauren quickly moved the breakfast tray out of the way and climbed into the bed to hold her traumatized girlfriend. Bo desperately clung to her lover, finally allowing herself to take refuge in the strong, soothing shelter that only Lauren's love could provide. "Let it go, baby. Let it all go. I'm right here. I love you Bo, you're going to be ok, I promise."

* * *

"Do they feel any different now?"

Lauren and Bo were lounging in the afterglow of their first healing session since they came home from the hospital. Bo had just taken off her pressure garments to inspect her scarred arms and hands.

"My skin seems a lot more flexible, but it still hurts like a bitch to move my fingers." She winced as she cautiously flexed her fingers. "The Percocet's been helping, but damn I miss that morphine!"

"Yeah that's the thing about narcotics, people tend to miss them too much!" Lauren teased. "Do you think your thralling power is affected since your hands are compromised?"

"Huh. I never thought about that. " Bo placed a scarred hand on Lauren's forearm and tentatively sent a pulse of energy to her girlfriend.

"Did you feel that?"

"Yeah but it wasn't super strong. Does it hurt your skin to do that?"

"It stings a bit, but it's tolerable as long as I don't flex my fingers much. I'll try to give you more juice this time." Bo watched her girlfriend intently as she sent out a stronger pulse of succubus energy.

"Whoa. Definitely feeling the succubuzz!" Lauren said through a euphoric haze. "Now make me do something and I'll try to resist."

"Seriously?"

"I just want to see if you are still at full thralling power." Lauren sighed dreamily as she stared at Bo in wonder. "If you are I can take you out to feed so we can speed up your healing."

"Oh. Ok I guess that makes sense." Bo sent another glowing orange pulse of energy into Lauren's skin. "Hey sexy. Do me a favor?" Bo purred seductively.

"Yes, anything." Lauren replied breathily.

"Do the Macarena for me." Bo tried to sound sexy, but she was barely able to stifle a giggle.

"Ok." Lauren climbed out of bed and enthusiastically performed the Macarena while humming the song for accompaniment. Bo clamped a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter.

"Now do the hokey pokey." Bo squeaked out her command, finding it difficult to form words while stifling her uncontrollable giggles. She howled in delight as Lauren proceeded to do the hokey pokey while singing exuberantly.

_"__You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, and that's what it's all about!"_

Bo was laughing so hard she thought she might pass out from lack of oxygen. "Ok babe you can come back to bed now." She took several deep breaths to get herself under control but it just set off another giggle fit. "Just let me know when you feel normal again."

"I feel fine, sweetie." Lauren said as she calmly climbed back into bed.

"I don't think so, because you're not pissed off at me yet!" The excessive laughter had made her eyes water and she had to wipe away a couple errant tears. "I guess it's safe to say I can still thrall people."

"That's good, it gives us more options for speeding up your recovery. What we lose in potency can be made up for in volume. But why should I be pis – HOLY SHIT!" Lauren shrieked as she suddenly came back to her senses. "Oh my god Bo you are so evil! I can't believe you made me do that – and naked too!" Lauren smacked Bo with a pillow several times as they both burst into a convulsive fit of boisterous laughter.

"I guess it finally wore off, huh? I could have given you more but I didn't want you in a daze for the next few hours." Bo grinned devilishly.

"Yeah, thanks for that!" Lauren groaned and hid her face in a pillow.

Bo chuckled gleefully and leaned in to kiss Lauren's shoulder and then gently eased the pillow away from her girlfriend's mortified face. "Hey did I ever tell you about the time I was held at gun point and I thralled my way out of it by playing footsie under the table? I was able to get my foot out of my boot and then I thralled him with my toes!"

"Wow, you really are a woman of many hidden talents!" Lauren took a few moments to calm down her own giggles so she could speak coherently. "But that does remind me of something I wanted to talk about."

"Yeah? What's up?"

"This may sound strange coming from a doctor, but… if you still want to be in this line of work, I really think you should carry a gun. I know that's not your style, but sometimes you're going to need a weapon to defend yourself that doesn't require being so close to your enemy. Of course it would do wonders for my peace of mind if you switched to a less life-threatening career, but –" Lauren rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "who am I kidding?"

Bo lightly chuckled at her girlfriend's cuteness then took a moment to process Lauren's suggestion. "I've actually thought about it – both the gun and the line of work. I'll be honest, part of me is afraid of going back out in the field again. But I don't want to become someone who has nightmares and panic attacks and flashbacks and is afraid to go to a backyard barbecue."

"Post-traumatic stress disorder isn't really a choice, Bo. There's no shame in it."

"I get that, and who knows? Maybe it's unavoidable. But I'm not ready to assume it is and give up without trying. I just don't want to live life in fear, and my work is important to me. I think the best way for me to cope is to push through the fear now before it consumes me later. I need to get back to doing something that makes me feel powerful again. You know, Kenzi once teased me about getting a stay-at-home job stuffing envelopes so I wouldn't need healing all the time. But that's just not who I am and I don't ever want it to be. So yeah, I want to stay in this line of work."

"Sweetie, whatever you choose to do, I'll support you all the way. I want you safe, but I also want you happy and fulfilled. Just don't try to push yourself too hard too soon. And if it gets to be too much, it's ok to step away. And please _talk_ to me about how you're feeling! And it's ok if you need to talk to a professional. Or maybe even get help from a Baku if you start having recurrent nightmares. Just be kind to yourself, no festering, remember? "

"Got it, no festering." Bo grinned adorably and sealed her promise with a sweet kiss.

"And what about carrying a gun?"

Bo rolled her eyes in mock disdain. "Guns are just so...thuggish, you know? Blades are for noble warrior-types!" Lauren just looked at Bo as if she were scolding a child. Bo sighed dramatically and knew she wasn't getting out of this. "Yeah, yeah I know. I'll look into it and see about getting some formal training."

"Look on the bright side, Bo." Lauren smirked mischievously. "I bet target practice with a real gun will probably be a lot more satisfying than shooting Kenzi's virtual robot hookers!"

"Can't argue with that, babe" Bo chuckled and gave her girlfriend an affectionate peck on the lips. "You know, guns aren't always the answer, but I have to admit it makes sense to have an option other than sharp pointy things – and my hands." Bo groaned in exasperation. "That was a bitch of a lesson to learn the hard way. I'm a bad-ass but I'm not invincible."

"Oh god, I am _so_ glad to hear you say that!" Lauren exclaimed melodramatically. "Because if I ever manage to crack the code to the Fae genome and solve all these pesky feeding and lifespan issues, I will be _extremely_ pissed off if you go and get yourself killed and leave me widowed for a few millennia!"

Bo smirked at Lauren's thinly veiled attempt to disguise a legitimate fear as a joke. After a brief pause, Bo's tone shifted and she looked at her girlfriend with soft eyes. "Do you really think it could happen? Not the getting killed part, but you becoming Fae? Is it honestly realistic? I just don't want you to get obsessed and spend years chasing an impossible dream that you actually miss out on living the life you have."

Lauren sighed heavily. "That's the million dollar question isn't it? I can't say for sure. But the answer is in the genetics, which is another reason to get back into that field again. Taft's foundation is on the cutting edge of developing gene therapies, and what they've discovered about humans might offer me the key to applying the techniques to create a Fae-like hybrid. But I simply need to know more before I can even assess whether it's truly plausible or not."

Bo stroked Lauren's face as she gazed at her girlfriend with loving reverence. "I meant it when I said you don't need to be Fae for me to love you." She leaned in for a lingering but chaste kiss. "Besides, I think we're doing a pretty good job of making my feeding a non-issue, don't you?"

"Oh, absolutely, sweetie!" Lauren quickly reassured her girlfriend. "That's been going great. We've got the feeding and the healing figured out, but what's missing is the comparable lifespan." Lauren sighed in resignation. "And that's just going to be a big fat question mark for a while. But until I can figure that out one way or the other, the good thing is that we know how to make it work, no matter how inconvenient or bizarre –"

"Or embarrassing!"

"Yes, definitely embarrassing!" Lauren covered her face in amused mortification. "But we're worth it." She leaned in to take Bo's lips in her own, sensuously exploring her mouth and tongue and delighting in the happy little murmurs Bo produced in response.

Bo gently broke the kiss as a thought occurred to her. "You know baby, even if you do have more chi someday, I'm glad we already worked out rules for other types of feeding, and that you're ok with me grabbing non-sexual chi take-out when I need it. When you think about it, even though we're sexually monogamous it's not really fair for you to be my only source of chi anyway. I mean, what if one of us has to go out of town? What if I do something stupid to piss you off and I'm sleeping on the couch? What if you just have a headache? I would never want you to feel like you can't say no. Sex shouldn't be something you're obligated to do whether you're in the mood or not. I would never want to do that to you."

"You have a point there." Lauren conceded with a sigh. "There can't always be the right conditions for sex, that's just not realistic. And I don't ever want to just have sex with you. I only want to make love with you, when it's right for both of us. Being able to provide you with more chi would be wonderful, but you're right, it's not going to make or break us. And this most recent crisis certainly taught us that shit happens and sometimes even the chi of a single Fae isn't enough."

Bo grinned impishly. "So I guess you'll have to revise the succubus trauma protocol to include solo sex proxies!"

"Oh yay. Can't wait to write that down in an official manual." Lauren groaned. "It will be so fun to pass that out amongst the staff and then ask for volunteers with a straight face. I'm sure our current donors are hoping none of their colleagues ever find out what they really did, despite the fact it was a worthy and noble act of compassion."

"God I hope that doesn't become a regular thing. That was too much sexual weirdness even for me! But I know how lucky I am." Bo took a moment to intently stare at her scars. "Dealing with sexual weirdness is definitely preferable to being armless."

Lauren gently took one of Bo's ravaged hands and kissed it lovingly. "Being prepared for the worst starts with facing the facts before formulating the plan, no matter how much it makes me cringe. I guess I just didn't want to even imagine a scenario dangerous enough that would require emergency sexual chi from multiple sources. But the reality is that some injuries are too severe for sex – and surgery as an alternative won't help in all cases." She sadly stroked Bo's palm and sensitive fingers. "The only surgery that could have been done for you is skin grafting, but you would've still lost your fingers – they were just too far gone."

Bo tried to insert some comic relief before Lauren could get too swept up in painful memories. "You know, I think it's only fair that hospital donors and proxies ought to have some extra compensation for taking on such an unpleasant responsibility – kinda like combat pay. But I don't know how you can do that without them feeling like prostitutes!" Bo chuckled uneasily, since she knew it wasn't really that funny.

Lauren simply shrugged. "I don't know, depends on the person I guess. It's not that much different than being paid to be a sex surrogate or a sperm donor. You just have to be able to compartmentalize the clinical bodily function as separate from sex for pleasure. But that's not something most people can do. I'm still amazed at what they did for us. I mean, that was just _too much_ to ask, but they put the needs of a critically injured patient ahead of their own personal hang-ups. Or to quote Tamsin," Lauren said as she rolled her eyes, "they took one for the team."

"Yeah, well – unfortunately Tamsin enjoyed it a little _too_ much! Everyone else made an effort to be as quiet as possible – but no, Tamsin had to put on a big show with all the moaning and groaning." Bo winced in disgust. "As if it wasn't bad enough knowing _both_ of them were behind that curtain while you were trying to, uh, keep me in the mood. This might sound funny coming from a succubus, but – _eww._"

"At least they had the decency to wrap themselves in sheets when they came out for you to feed. And I must say, despite the freak show, that was the brightest I saw your eyes glow that night so it must have been some super extra potent chi!" Lauren teased, gleefully watching Bo squirm.

"Ugh! I hate to admit it, but I think chi from a couple proxy is a little stronger than a solo proxy. Too bad the Bacchus club closed down. Now _that_ would be a great place for a succubus ER. The place would be crawling with willing sex proxies!"

"In that case you'd have to call it an EB instead of an ER."

"And what would that stand for?"

"Emergency Brothel." Lauren's eyes sparkled as a wide saucy grin spread across her face.

"Dork." And with that final judgment, Bo pounced on top of her lover and kissed her senseless amidst a chorus of giggles and moans.


	30. Fine Dining Part I

A/N: Mature sexual content. Read at your own risk.

* * *

Lauren looked up from the couch when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Bo shuffled toward her looking adorably rumpled and groggy in her red kimono. "Hey baby, did you enjoy your post-coital Percocet coma?"

"I'm not sure yet. Ugh. I can't even remember falling asleep. That last dose really knocked me out." Bo mumbled sleepily.

"How do your hands feel? Is the Percocet still working for you?"

Bo slumped down into the couch next to her girlfriend. "I think so." She tried flexing her fingers a little bit. "The pain is just mildly annoying now."

"Do you think you would be up to going out tonight?"

"What kind of going out?"

"The dress-up-like-a-sex-goddess-and-let-my-girlfriend-surprise-me kind of going out." Lauren said with mock disinterest, as if she were casually suggesting that they go bowling.

"Oh, really?" Bo instantly perked up. "And what might a sex goddess wear?"

"I'm so glad you asked, I actually had something in mind." Lauren licked her lips suggestively. "Your red lace bra and thong set, garter belt and stockings, my favorite black mini-dress, and sexy footwear of your choice."

"How thoughtful of you, babe!" Bo's gleefully sexy expression dropped into a pout as she looked down at her pressure garments. "Uh, but these damn things aren't exactly sex goddess couture."

"Ahh, but your brilliant event planner has thought of everything. You should be fine without the pressure garments for a little while." She picked up a pair of Bo's extra-long black gloves that were draped over the arm of the couch. "I'll have to buy you a new pair because I made some slight alterations."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Check out the fingertips."

Bo examined the gloves and didn't notice anything at first. On closer inspection she discovered a small horizontal slit on each fingertip near where the first knuckle would be. She looked at Lauren quizzically.

"You can discreetly pull the fingertips back so your skin is exposed enough to thrall somebody."

"Wow, you do think of everything! I guess my hunch was right, we're going out to eat tonight." Bo grinned devilishly at Lauren, anticipation twinkling in her eyes.

"Fine dining, actually. You'll be satisfying both your appetites this evening." Lauren smiled wickedly.

"Then we best get moving." Bo enthusiastically stood up from the couch. "Care to join me for a shower?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Aaah! You do this every time we're in a hurry to go somewhere. If we shower together you _know_ we'll never make it out of the clubhouse tonight! Besides, the extra anticipation will make the pay-off that much better. Now go on, you go first!" She leered playfully and winked at her girlfriend.

"In that case, I'll be quick. Don't want to keep dinner waiting," Bo stared intensely at her lover and smirked salaciously while slowly licking her lips. "I'm famished!"

* * *

"Joso's? I've never heard of it. What kind of food do they have?" Bo and Lauren were walking up the block to their restaurant after they grabbed an unusually close space to park Lauren's new Audi S3.

"It's primarily seafood. I checked it out online. It's also well known for its… sensuous ambiance." Lauren waggled her eyebrows, eliciting an amused chuckle from her girlfriend.

"Mmm…intriguing." They arrived at the entrance and Bo held the door open for Lauren. "After you, m'lady."

"You're adorable." Lauren sighed happily and shook her head.

"It's a gift." Bo winked flirtatiously.

Since Lauren already made reservations, the happy couple was seated fairly quickly. Bo took several moments to take in the atmosphere. The place was full of paintings and sculptures, almost all of them were nudes. "Wow. You weren't kidding about the ambiance. I don't know what's more distracting, the nude artwork or the fact that everyone in this restaurant is blindingly horny!"

"Aww, my poor baby and her succubus sight!" Lauren stifled a giggle and smirked at her gorgeous girlfriend. "It was on a list of Toronto's most romantic restaurants. They were categorized by what occasion they were best for, like anniversaries, double dates, or whatever. Joso's was the best restaurant for 'getting some.'"

"I can see how it earned its reputation," Bo chuckled, "but babe, you would have gotten lucky tonight if we just went to McDonald's!"

"Oh sweetie, I have no doubt about that." Lauren smiled mischievously. "But isn't it more fun to add some other sensual delights into the mix? Like say…" She quickly scanned the list of appetizers. "oysters on the half shell with chili vodka? Much sexier than a big mac."

"Ooooh, two aphrodisiacs in one. Sounds lovely."

"Vodka is an aphrodisiac?"

"Chili peppers, actually."

"Really? I hadn't heard of that one."

"Hey, Kenzi doesn't call me Encyclopedia Sluttannica for nothing!"

* * *

"So what's the next stop on tonight's little adventure?" After a light but sumptuous meal, Bo and Lauren strolled back to the car, and Bo's curiosity was growing with every step.

"Ahhh, my darling succubus, that's for me to know and you to find out."

Bo heaved an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes as she climbed into the car. As soon as they closed the doors Lauren reached into her pocket and took out a black satin sleep mask.

Bo smirked at Lauren and raised a single eyebrow. "Are you trying to tell me I should take another nap?"

"No, silly. I just don't want you to see where we're going. It's supposed to be a surprise, remember?" Lauren answered with a cheeky grin.

Bo snorted in amusement and shook her head. She put on the mask and turned toward Lauren and blew her a kiss. Lauren was mesmerized for a moment, and when she couldn't resist any longer she leaned in and pulled Bo into a hungry kiss.

"Hold on tight, babe." Lauren whispered, "It's going to be a wild ride tonight."

After over twenty minutes of sitting in darkness, Bo was getting impatient. "Where the hell are we going, Lo?"

"Sorry baby, we're almost there. Traffic is a real bitch tonight."

After another five minutes, Bo felt the car pull to a stop but the engine was still running, so she assumed they were at a stoplight.

"Surprise!" Lauren exclaimed excitedly. Bo cautiously took off the blindfold and blinked several times trying to get her light-deprived eyes to focus. They were in a long line of cars waiting for valet parking. _Where the hell are we? This looks familiar, but…_

"Holy shit! I thought this place closed down!" Bo gawked at the building incredulously.

"I did a little research while you were napping. The Bacchanalia reopened under new management last week. I have you to thank for the idea."

"Damn, that was fast."

"Perfect timing, actually – because if you want to go gloveless to the inaugural ball tomorrow night, then you need a chi buffet tonight."

"Sweetie, this isn't a buffet, it's a smorgasbord! Are you sure about this? This isn't a controlled situation like when we had the proxy couple in the bathroom."

"As long as we stick to our own rules, I don't care what anyone else is doing. All we have to do is focus on each other and nobody else matters. And if anyone tries to get too touchy-feely, you have your special thralling gloves to keep their hands off."

"Baby, there's going to be a lot of nakedness in there. Are you absolutely sure you're ok with me seeing all that? Because it's not worth it if this starts making you feel insecure again."

"God, you are just so sweet to worry about that." Lauren smiled tenderly. "I'm really fine. Like I said before, it was a real turn on to watch you feed while you were so focused on me." She leered suggestively at her girlfriend. "And if you focus on me while you are in a whole sea of naked bodies, I think that will be even hotter." Lauren's eyes softened. "But will that be a problem for you? Being surrounded by all that flesh and flashing auras? I know you love me, but you're also a succubus – will that just be a cruel, distracting temptation? Because I don't want to make you uncomfortable either."

Bo's eyes sparkled as she smiled brightly. She placed a slow and tender kiss on her girlfriend's lips. "It doesn't matter how many horny naked people are around me, babe, because you'll be the only one I see."

"Then let the feast begin!" Lauren announced gleefully. She finally got her turn to pull up to the curb so she could turn the car over to the valet. With a playful smile and wink, Lauren linked arms with Bo as they sashayed into the exclusive club of libidinous delights.

As soon as they got past the door attendant and paid the entrance fee, Lauren led Bo directly to the women's washroom. "Time to get your motor running, babe," Lauren whispered as she pulled Bo into a stall and locked it.

Lauren immediately pressed Bo against the wall and took control, much to her girlfriend's surprised delight. Lauren descended upon Bo's welcome mouth, at first nipping and licking Bo's lips and then latched onto her tongue and sucked slowly. They kissed languorously for a few minutes; soon their heated passions started to rise until they were devouring each other hungrily. Lauren wetly kissed up and down Bo's neck and jaw, causing her to gasp. Lauren looked up just as Bo's eyes shifted to blue.

Lauren pushed her hand up under Bo's mini-dress and into her thong. "So how're we doing down here?" Lauren luxuriated in the warm wetness she found there. "Mmmm… you're almost ready to go, baby."

"Almost?" Bo squeaked as her panting speeded up.

"We need you to get the most out of your chi tonight, so you need to stay at a low boil. And as much as I would love to spend the evening with my head up your dress, it would seriously impede your movement." Lauren smirked impishly and reached into the pocket of her dress slacks. "So I brought a little something to keep the fires burning." She pulled out a familiar looking bullet vibrator and Bo covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.

Lauren turned the vibe on its lowest setting, which was almost inaudible. She tucked it into the front of Bo's thong, just lightly nestled between her outer lips to give Bo constant but gentle stimulation. As soon as the vibe touched her flesh, Bo gasped sharply and her eyes flashed brightly. "That's my girl!" Lauren cooed. "I can't really hear it unless I concentrate. But I think most of the 'playrooms' have piped-in music, so our little friend here should be pretty stealthy."

Lauren leaned in for another scorching kiss that left both women breathless. "Come on, sexy, time to get juiced up." Bo let out a high pitched gasp as soon as she took the few steps to leave the stall. She paused a moment, trying to get used to the delicious sensations brought on by her movement. She took a few deep breaths then nodded to Lauren and followed her out of the washroom.

As they entered the main hallway, Lauren stopped and pulled Bo into a lazy, wet kiss that eventually moved around and up Bo's jaw to her earlobe. "Let's find a room with the most people in it. One-stop shopping will get us out of here the fastest so I can take you home and ravish you!"

Lauren's sexy promise made Bo's eyes flash and the hungry succubus purred sensually as she kissed Lauren's neck. "Lead on, my love."

After passing by two rooms with five or less people in them, the lovers came upon a set of double doors that lead into a room that looked as if it could have been a banquet room in years gone by. It was filled with elegant reclining couches and piles of floor pillows made from lush fabrics. There were also four large round beds, each in their own corner. There were at least a couple dozen writhing bodies strewn about, in various stages of undress.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, Lauren gasped at the sight and Bo unsuccessfully tried to stifle a loud groan. Bo immediately turned to embrace her girlfriend tightly and began kissing up and down her neck. "Sorry baby, the sexual energy in here is overwhelming." Bo panted as she massaged Lauren's ass. "But don't you forget that you're the only one I want, ok baby?"

"Yes love, I know." Lauren smiled and dove in for a hungry kiss and moved one of her legs forward slightly, pressing the bullet vibe more firmly into her girlfriend.

"Oh, god…" Bo sighed heavily and kissed Lauren's neck more forcefully.

"Ok baby, who do you want to start with?" Lauren pulled back and stroked her girlfriend's face, mesmerized by her glowing eyes.

Bo firmly took Lauren's hand and led her over to a nearby couple who was pressed up against the wall. A sandy-haired man with his pants around his ankles was thrusting into a half-naked woman who had her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Mmmm… wall sex." Lauren purred. "Brings back some delicious memories, doesn't it baby?" Bo's only response was to shove Lauren against the wall right next to the amorous couple, and urgently slipped her tongue into her girlfriend's mouth. Bo nimbly unfastened the first two buttons on Lauren's blouse so she could kiss down her neck and her collar bone and finally into the very top of cleavage. Lauren closed her eyes and moaned loudly, not caring in the least that there was a grunting couple mere centimeters away.

Soon the strange couple, who were also ignoring Bo and Lauren, began making noises that signaled an impending orgasm. Bo quickly adjusted the fingertips of her right glove and touched the man and woman on the shoulders to thrall them enough to turn their heads and look in her direction, but not enough to stop what they were doing. Bo gently lifted the woman's chin and began feeding thirstily until the woman climaxed loudly, then Bo leaned towards the man's face and drew in another healthy draft of the ethereal ambrosia. Lauren watched in wonder as Bo's eyes blazed brighter.

As soon as she finished feeding, Bo turned back to Lauren and pushed her body more firmly to the wall and took her in a bruising kiss, while running her hands all over her girlfriend's body.

"You are so fucking amazing," Lauren gasped. "Come on, baby lets go get you some more." This time Lauren did the leading, and guided Bo over to a couch where two naked women sat, one straddling the other as her lover's fingers pumped into her. Lauren roughly pushed Bo onto the couch right next to the writhing couple. Bo never took her eyes off her lover, staring up at her with lustful, glowing eyes. Lauren climbed onto Bo's lap and straddled her while hungrily devouring Bo's lips and tongue. Bo instinctively massaged one of Lauren's breasts through her blouse as she felt her inner succubus howl.

Bo reached out and sent pulses of energy into the other women's arms and leaned in to take turns feeding off them, then once again turned her attention back to Lauren, descending upon her flushed neck while rubbing and squeezing her ass. "God I love you, Lauren." Bo practically growled. "You make me so hungry!"

"Oh I love you too, baby!" Lauren replied breathily. "Let's keep going love. By the time we leave I want you so full of chi that you nearly explode. Come on, babe, who's next?"

Lauren climbed off of Bo's lap and offered her hand to help Bo off the couch. "Over there," Bo nodded toward a corner far on the other side of the huge room. With her girlfriend firmly in hand, Bo stalked over to the large bed where a woman and two men were enthusiastically taking turns 'servicing' each other, the woman often doubly so.

Bo worked her way around the edge of the round bed, wherever it was easiest to lean in and reach each person to pull them close enough for her to feed. When she finished with the third one, Bo pulled away with a frantic gasp. And desperately grabbed Lauren and hissed in her ear. "Oh god, oh god, baby I think I'm going to come!"

Without saying a word, Lauren dragged her inflamed lover behind a large potted fern near the wall. The dim lighting and the large lush fronds were the best she could do for some emergency privacy. She pressed Bo tightly against the wall and encouraged her girlfriend to wrap a leg around her hips. Lauren easily reached under Bo's dress and slipped into her thong and retrieved the vibe; she quickly pocketed it and then her hand dove back into her lover's overflowing wetness. Lauren drank deep from her lover's mouth and fluttered two fingertips over Bo's throbbing clit. Bo pulled away from the kiss to emit a howling cry of rapture as she quickly climaxed onto Lauren's hand.

Much to Lauren's wondrous surprise, Bo's body didn't relax and she showed no signs of her usual post-coital bliss. Instead she simply put her leg down and looked at Lauren helplessly while panting, "More! I need some more!" She took Lauren's hand forcefully and marched off to her next source of invigorating chi.

Twenty minutes later, Bo had greedily siphoned off the chi from six more rutting Fae, for a total of thirteen. Bo's eyes were glowing so brightly they were almost white. She was hyperventilating and her entire body shook with tremors.

"Lauren you need to get me out of here! Oh god baby, I need you so bad! Please we have to get home! I think I must have finished healing several donors back. I've never been so full before!" Bo practically sobbed with need.

Lauren was struck speechless by her lover's desperate plea. Without a word she grabbed Bo's hand and they both practically ran for the exit. They stood outside and shamelessly made out and pawed at each other while they waited for the valet to bring the car. As soon as they were in, Lauren pulled the car away with a resounding screech and floored it toward the clubhouse.


	31. Fine Dining Part II

A/N: Sorry about the extra delay, folks. Leave a comment if it was worth the wait! ;-)

Mature adult content. Read at your own risk.

* * *

Bo writhed around in her car seat, rocking her hips and moaning loudly, but not getting much relief. Lauren gripped the wheel with white knuckles as she tried to ignore Bo's erotic performance so she could keep her eyes on the road. Luckily the clubhouse was closer than the restaurant had been, so within fifteen minutes the desperate lovers pulled up to the clubhouse with a screeching halt, clamored out of the car and ran for the front door.

They stumbled into the front hallway as they clumsily kissed and moaned their way toward the living room. Lauren's shirt was ripped off and then Bo impatiently picked up her girlfriend and turned toward the stairs.

"Oh hey guys, you're back ear – WHOA!" Kenzi was stopped mid-sentence when she looked up in time to be hit in the face by Lauren's flying bra just before the inflamed couple ascended the stairs. "Uh, yeah. Ok then! You two have fun, I'll be at the Dal!" Kenzi's ears had been assaulted by many of her bestie's sexual exploits, but she quickly sensed that this time putting her earphones on wouldn't be enough. She grabbed the keys to the Camaro and ran out the door.

As soon as Bo entered her bedroom she gently put her girlfriend down and Lauren quickly shucked her shoes and pants. Lauren backed her way toward the foot of the bed. "Come over here, lover." She beckoned with a single finger.

Bo followed her girlfriend, only pausing to release the side zipper of her mini-dress and yanked it over her head, followed by her bra. She peeled off her long gloves, revealing perfect, flawless skin. Lauren was stepping out of her panties when she saw Bo reach for her thong and garter belt.

"No, leave 'em on baby." Lauren firmly commanded. "Now get over here."

Lauren's sudden demanding tone made Bo's eyes flare and her clit throb even more, which she hadn't thought possible at this point. When Bo reached to embrace her girlfriend, Lauren roughly spun her around to face the bed and reached around and cupped Bo's aching breasts in her hands, earning a strangled "Oh god, YES!" from Bo. Lauren covered Bo's neck and shoulder with hungry kisses, licking and gently sucking her flushed skin. Bo's moaning was replaced by several sharp inhalations when Lauren assaulted her lover's hard nipples, pinching, tugging and rolling them between her fingers.

Lauren kissed and licked her way up Bo's neck again, until she reached a tender earlobe to nibble on. "Bend over, lover." Lauren commanded breathily as she put one hand on Bo's hip and another pressed firmly to her upper back to push Bo into position. With a shocked, high-pitched moan, Bo eagerly bent over, resting her elbows on the mattress.

"Oh, baby. You are so fucking hot." Lauren dropped to her knees and covered Bo's ass cheeks with wet, open mouth kisses. Bo panted loudly, whimpering desperately with each exhale. Without warning, Lauren ripped the thong apart so she could take it off without removing Bo's garter belt and stockings.

"Oh god Lauren, please hurry! Please fuck me! I can't stand it anymore!"

"Just hang on a second, baby." Lauren leaned to the side and slid a small box out from under the foot of the bed. She reached in and grabbed a unique toy – a new acquisition that in light of recent events, she hadn't been able to try out yet.

"Baby PLEASE! Please don't make me wait!"

Lauren stood back up and stroked Bo's ass with her fingertips, provoking a high pitched hiss and a deep guttural groan. "You better back up a bit baby, brace your arms on the footboard." Bo whimpered as she complied, making sure to arch her back so her ass stuck out more prominently, wantonly begging for relief.

Bo suddenly heard Lauren inhale sharply and then exhaled a long, blissful moan. "Oh my god." Lauren whispered. "Holy shit."

Bo was nearly on the verge of tears from the unrelenting throbbing in her pussy. She was about to beg again, when suddenly she was forcefully entered and she felt Lauren's pelvis press into her. "AAAAAH! Oh, _FUCK_!"

Bo was so overloaded with sensation there was very little brain space for coherent thought. But there was enough left for her to be shocked that Lauren was actually using a dildo, something they had never done before. Bo couldn't see behind her, obviously, but her mind's eye envisioned her lover posing shamelessly while wearing a strap-on, and it just made her clit throb harder.

"You like that baby? You want me to fuck you?" Lauren taunted Bo as she barely moved her hips back and forth, gently thrusting the dildo in and out of her lover.

"Oh god, yes! Holy shit, baby, where did that come from? How'd you get a harness on so fast? God… that's so _goooood_!"

"That's the best part, it's strapless." Lauren slowly thrust a few more times, gradually pulling farther out each time.

"Wha…?"

"It's called a Feeldoe.** I'm holding part of it inside me." Lauren groaned as she pressed the silicone phallus back into her lover. "Oh god, and it feels incredible." When she was all the way inside, pressed tightly against Bo, Lauren reached under the toy and turned on the built in vibrator. Both women cried out as the vibrations sent intense ripples of pleasure into their clits.

"You ready, baby? Are you ready for me to ride you hard and fuck us both at the same time?"

"_YES_! I need you so bad! Please fuck me, baby!"

Lauren grabbed hold of Bo's hips and started off with small steady thrusts, causing both of them to whimper and grunt. "Holy shit, Bo! This is fucking amazing!" Lauren suddenly slowed down and pressed in deep, causing Bo to moan loudly as she repeatedly clenched around the toy, causing the other end inside Lauren to slightly rock back and forth. "Bo! Oh shit, baby! I can feel you do that! It's like I'm really inside you! Oh god, do that again!"

Bo expelled a long, low groan and clenched her muscles several more times as Lauren gently rocked her hips. "Oh god Bo, I feel you, baby! Uuhhhn…gaah! Ohh…that's so good!"

"Please, Lo…please I need it harder!"

"Ok, baby." Lauren started pulling out farther on each thrust so she could put more force behind her hips as she slammed back into her lover.

"_FASTER_! Oh shit…."

With a sudden surge of adrenaline, Lauren rapidly increased the pace of her thrusts, and she felt the first few trickles of sweat slide down her face and chest. Despite the thick haze of lust clouding her mind, it occurred to Lauren that she had never been this sexually athletic before. But the strain of exertion was far outweighed by the overpowering sensations of her inflamed clit and her inner walls clenching around the vibrating toy.

Both women were moaning and grunting incoherently with every powerful thrust. Suddenly Bo gasped shrilly, "Oh god! _Uhhhnnn_! Don't stop! I'm gonna… come…_Gaaah_! So close!"

"Try to hang on, I'm almost there too! Oh god..._FUUUUCK_! Come with me baby!"

"_Love YOOOOU!_"

With a howling crescendo, both lovers plunged into the abyss, their bodies pulsing in throbs of ecstasy. Lauren's manic thrusting slowly came to a stop as both women desperately gasped for air. Bo wailed when Lauren gently slipped out. "Oh god! Oh god I can't stop! PLEASE baby… I still have too much chi! My blood is on fire!"

Bo's helpless pleading ignited Lauren's passions all over again, but she couldn't remain standing up much longer. "Ok baby, don't you worry, I'll take care of you. We just need to change positions."

While holding the toy in place, Lauren awkwardly climbed into the bed and sat upright, leaning against the tall headboard. She gasped sharply as the new position caused her clit to press down harder on the vibrating dildo. "Time to go for a ride, lover."

"Oh god, I love you!" Bo scrambled onto the bed and quickly straddled Lauren and braced her arms on the headboard as she easily slid down onto the phallus, causing both women to groan loudly.

Lauren looked up at her radiant lover and her mouth watered at the sight of Bo's breasts lewdly bouncing up and down as she started rocking her hips. "Oh god you're so beautiful! And you feel so good baby!" Lauren leaned in and greedily took one of Bo's breasts in her mouth, sucking hard. Bo cried out and started rocking her hips more frantically.

"That's so good baby! _Uhhhhhn_…use your teeth…_YES_!"

Lauren groaned into Bo's breast as she hungrily nibbled and tugged on her lover's engorged nipple while using her fingers to pinch and twist the other. She alternated breasts back and forth as Bo wailed and started forcefully bouncing up and down on the dildo. The end of the toy inside Lauren jumped and pulsed with her girlfriend's every movement, and with the added stimulation of the intense vibrations, she was quickly rocketing towards orgasm again.

"Oh god, Bo! I'm gonna come soon…_gaaaah_!"

"Almost there, baby! Almost there!" Bo cried between her frantic exhalations.

Lauren stared at Bo in awe; she was mesmerized by her lover's bouncing breasts and rapturous expression. Bo's eyes were clamped shut, her brow furrowed with concentration, and her mouth was hanging open as she panted and moaned. Lauren began roughly massaging Bo's ass and stared at her dripping pussy as she enveloped the dildo again and again. She took several deep breaths through her nose, reveling in the rich, mixed scent of both lovers' arousal.

"Bo…I can't…hold it…anymore! I'm _com_ –" Lauren's euphoria became too intense to complete her sentence; all she could manage was a constricted, silent scream. At that same moment Bo started shaking erratically and then let loose a long, keening wail that gradually increased in volume. Lauren broke her silence as she finally exploded and fell over the edge, her howl of elation setting off the cascade of Bo's climax.

As Bo's bouncing finally came to a stop, Lauren reached around her back and embraced her lover tightly, burying her face in the valley between Bo's breasts. Bo held Lauren's head to her chest as they both tried to calm their breathing.

"God Lo, you are amazing! I love you so much, baby!"

"Lurf you too." Lauren replied, her voice muffled in Bo's cleavage. Lauren looked up at her lover and noticed that Bo's eyes were still glowing bright. "You still need more, don't you baby?"

"Oh god Lauren! It's driving me crazy! I'm so turned on it almost hurts! Baby, you've been absolutely incredible, but I know you must be exhausted. You should rest – would you mind if I take care of things myself?"

"As amazingly hot as that would be to watch – I have a better idea. Give me some of your excess chi. You need the release, and I need the energy boost."

"Oh god, you're brilliant!" Bo captured Lauren's lips and tongue in a hungry kiss, taking time to fully explore her lover's mouth. After insistently sucking on Lauren's tongue, Bo began releasing golden wisps of chi into Lauren's mouth. Lauren gasped as her exhausted body was consumed by a sudden jolt of energy and desire.

"Holy _SHIT_, Bo! Oh god why haven't we tried that before? That's amazing!" Lauren chuckled gleefully. "I think we just found the secret to how a human can keep up with a succubus!" Before Bo could respond, Lauren pulled her in for another scorching kiss. "Ok baby, time to change it up. Lie down on your back sweetie."

Bo's smile was as radiant as her eyes as she carefully raised herself up and off of the dildo and reclined next to her girlfriend. It was a bit of a challenge for Lauren to move while continuing to clench the toy inside her. "Oh god…this thing is giving my pubococcygeus a real work out. But in a good way, course."

"Pubo-what now?"

Lauren giggled at her girlfriend's cuteness. "That's geekspeak for pussy muscles." Lauren tapped the inside of Bo's knee to encourage her to spread her legs more.

"Damn that's hot. Say it again!"

Lauren maneuvered herself between Bo's legs and readjusted the toy, positioning the tip so she could easily slide into her girlfriend as she stretched out on top of Bo. "Pu-bo-coc-cy-ge-us." Lauren pronounced suggestively, before smothering Bo with a long, lazy kiss.

Bo groaned in relief as Lauren pressed into her. She bent her knees and spread her thighs a little wider, allowing her girlfriend to thrust the toy in deeper. "_YESSSS_! That's so good baby!"

Lauren luxuriated in the extra body contact of the new position. She loved the sensation of her pelvis cradled between her lover's thighs while their sweaty torsos and breasts pressed together hotly. "You feel wonderful, Bo." Lauren sighed blissfully and kissed her lover tenderly. She broke the kiss several seconds later and then propped herself up on her arms while looking down at Bo's glowing eyes in wonder. "I love you," whispered Lauren, as she pulled her hips back and thrust firmly into her lover.

"_Ohhhhhhh_…god I love you too baby." Bo grasped at Lauren's ass and pulled her lover tightly against her body with each thrust. Bo looked up at her girlfriend, awestruck by the look of rapture on her face, proof that Lauren was experiencing the same exquisite pleasure as Bo was. Her breasts hovered and swayed above Bo, enticing her to fondle and massage them and pinch the nipples, causing Lauren to gasp loudly and emit a long moan.

"It's so _good_, Lo! But please baby, I need it harder!"

Lauren was in such deep concentration she couldn't speak, she simply responded with harder and faster thrusts, loudly grunting and panting each time she pounded into Bo.

"That's it! Oh god, _right_ _there_ baby! _OH SHIT!_ Don't stop!"

Lauren just continued to grunt forcefully as more sweat dripped down her face and neck. Bo moved her hands back to Lauren's ass so she could help her girlfriend's thrusts penetrate deeper. The inferno that had been burning inside Bo's pussy flared hotter and hotter with each thrust, until an explosion in her clit ignited a delirious firestorm of rapture that thundered through her entire body as she fell into her bliss, screaming helplessly.

As Lauren continued to grind into her lover, she suddenly felt the warm shower of Bo's orgasm spray over her own inflamed pussy, setting off her third soul-shattering climax of the evening. She collapsed on top of Bo, moaning and frantically gasping for air.

Within a few seconds, Lauren pulled up, gently slid the dildo out of her lover and started to scoot away. "Baby, where are you going?" Bo pleaded.

"Not going anywhere, love." With a final grunt, Lauren removed the toy from herself and cast it aside, then dove into Bo's pussy, devouring her like a starved animal.

"Oh god, baby! Oh, _FUCK!_" It took less than a minute for Lauren's skilled tongue to coax out another orgasm from Bo, but Lauren didn't stop there. Lauren licked and sucked Bo's outer and inner lips and dove deep into her well to lap up the liquid lust that continued to leak out of Bo's pussy. Then Lauren returned to Bo's clit, licking lazily with the tip of her tongue before wrapping her lips around the swollen bud and rhythmically sucking until Bo's legs trembled and yet another screaming orgasm consumed her overheated body.

"Mmmm…baby I love the way you taste when you come!" Lauren groaned as she continued to lick Bo clean, careful not to touch her hypersensitive clit. "I guess both of us got two kinds of gourmet meals tonight, right baby?

Bo smiled and tried to respond but she was still hyperventilating so hard that no words would come. She simply reached down to lovingly stroke Lauren's hair as her girlfriend rested her cheek on Bo's thigh.

After a few moments, Bo found her voice, sort of. "Come up here baby, I need you," she whispered imploringly. With a satisfying groan, Lauren slowly moved up Bo's body and stretched out her full weight on top of her lover. She greeted her girlfriend with languid, needy kisses and Bo murmured in delight as she tasted the last remnants of her orgasm on Lauren's lips.

"Finally coming back down to earth, baby?" asked Lauren as she looked at Bo's beautiful blue eyes, which were vibrant but no longer glowing.

Bo tenderly stroked Lauren's back. "Much better baby. I feel absolutely amazing. I never knew it was possible to overdose on chi, but what a wonderful way to recover from it!" Bo giggled happily. "Baby, do you have _any_ _idea_ what an awesome lover you are? Because that's saying something, coming from a succubus!"

"So you liked the new toy, huh?" Lauren grinned smugly.

"I loved what _you_ did with it! But seriously, it doesn't matter what style or position, you never fail to blow me away. Best I ever had, baby – I'm not kidding." She was about to lean in for another kiss when Bo had an alarming thought. "Lo, as much as I enjoyed the new toy, I hope you didn't buy it because you're afraid I'm going to run off and leave you for a man."

"Oh baby, you're so sweet. No, I'm not worried. I've used toys before, just not that kind specifically. Dildos are made for penetration, but they're not necessarily about penises. Some women like the realistic looking kind, but that's not my preference. For me it's just a great way to be inside you and still have both of my hands free to do other things. And that particular style dildo also increases the chance of mutual orgasms, so what's not to love?" Lauren leaned in and once again got lost in her girlfriend's lips.

Bo gladly reciprocated, blissfully stroking Lauren's tongue with her own. "Mmmm…Another time, when my entire body doesn't feel like jello, I would love to use it on you. I'm quite impressed with the design features. And how cool is that, you don't have to waste time with straps and buckles!" Bo's eyes twinkled with childlike excitement.

"And I would be more than happy to accommodate you, babe." Lauren said with a self-satisfied smirk. "You know we got so caught up in ourselves we didn't take time to admire your new hands!"

"Yeah, check me out!" Bo held up her hands and wiggled her fingers playfully.

"Beautiful!" She held Bo's hand and lightly kissed her fingers. "And scientifically, it's absolutely amazing. You know, you were really on to something with that emergency brothel idea. As long as you're conscious and able to walk and thrall, that type of healing could come in really handy. Actually, I bet we could still make it work even if I had to push you around in a wheelchair."

"Sweetie, are you _sure_ you're ok with what we did tonight? I know it was you're idea, but if you felt the slightest bit uncomfortable we don't have to do it again. I mean, the average person would consider going to a sex club to be pretty extreme and kinky, regardless of the reason."

"I have to admit it's pretty ironic…three weeks ago I would have been horrified. But now I feel so…liberated. I used to think that all our problems would be solved if you could feed off others without sex, but I think what's made the difference is that I'm participating in the feeding process even if the chi isn't mine. It's no longer this uncomfortable, illicit thing that you need to hide, or that I have to try to ignore. When you feed from someone else but direct all your sexual energies toward me, I feel confident, sexy, and loved – and it makes me feel so close to you that I just couldn't care less what others are doing around us. I'm not just tolerating your feeding, I'm enjoying it with you, and I couldn't be happier about it. Other people might not be able to understand what we do, but you don't have to worry about me, baby."

"You are the most amazing woman, Lauren." Bo stroked her girlfriend's cheek affectionately. "And I love having you with me when I feed too. Sharing it with you makes it really special – and the lovemaking afterwards is out of this world!"

Bo captured Lauren in another sultry kiss and held her tightly while rubbing her back. When she came up for air, Bo finally noticed another sensation. "Uh…it's out of this world, but unfortunately also messy. Judging by this puddle I'm in, you made me squirt again, didn't you?"

Lauren batted her eyelashes and exclaimed melodramatically, "Oops, I guess I did, didn't I?" followed quickly by a sexy leer, "And you're welcome."

"Mmmm…Do we even have any more clean fitted sheets?" Bo asked between Lauren's short, playful kisses.

"Yep. There's a clean one right underneath the wet one, separated by a new waterproof mattress pad. Just have to peel off the wet layers and we're ready for sleep."

"Does your brilliance have no limits?" Bo gave her girlfriend a peck on the nose. "So you're ready to sleep now?" Bo tried to sound nonchalant, but Lauren recognized the look in her eyes and smiled wickedly.

"Actually babe, I think I still have some chi to burn!"

* * *

**Feeldoe is a real toy. Go ahead and google it. It's even available on Amazon. :-D


	32. A New Beginning Part I

A/N: Sorry I didn't get this posted with the usual timeliness, but some real life stuff got in the way. 'A New Beginning' Part 1 &amp; 2 will be the last chapters before the epilogue. Thank you all so much for coming on this wild ride with me! :-)

* * *

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."

Bo was drifting along just below the veil of consciousness when a distant lilting voice wafted into her senses, followed by something delicately soft caressing her lips, infusing her body with warmth and energy that pushed her toward wakefulness. As she slowly opened her unfocused eyes she was greeted by her girlfriend's bright smile and loving eyes. Bo murmured contently as Lauren gently stroked her hair.

"Mmmmm…hey beautiful. How long have you been up?" Bo's smile beamed, despite her otherwise sleepy face.

"Long enough to cook up some very belated post-dawning breakfast in bed. I'm afraid the first one was a failed launch, but I think I got it right this time." Lauren chuckled and reached for the bed tray that was precariously balanced on the nightstand.

"Aw, baby that's so sweet!" Bo sat up and scooted backwards to lean against the headboard so she could set the bed tray over her lap. "Ooooh, French toast! This is quite a spread sweetie, you outdid yourself. Where did you get the energy after last night's marathon?" Bo smirked suggestively as she munched on a strip of bacon.

"Must be all that extra chi you fed me. I actually feel terrific. I only got a few hours of sleep but it was really good, deep sleep. I might need you to OD on chi more often if I get to feel this good the morning after!" Lauren slipped into bed and settled next to Bo. "How are you feeling?" She stroked Bo's hair again and tucked an errant lock behind her ear. "Did you give me too much? Are you feeling depleted?"

"No sweetie, I'm fine. A little stiff and groggy, but I feel the way I usually do after making love all night long." Bo turned to caress Lauren's lips in a loving but chaste kiss. "I'll be as good as new after I've had coffee and showered."

Lauren responded with a saucy smile. "Since we have several hours before the inauguration, you just might get that joint shower you're always asking for."

"Wow – marathon sex, breakfast in bed, _and_ a sexy shower with my girlfriend? It must be my birthday!" Bo clapped her hands in giddy delight.

"Aw, sweetie – what makes you think you'll only get this once a year? I'm a way better girlfriend than that!"

"Shame on me, what was I thinking?" Bo giggled as she poured syrup over her french toast. "Aren't you going to have any of this?"

"I nibbled while I was cooking. I already had some eggs and bacon."

"Then you haven't had enough sugary goodness to start the day." Bo held a forkful of french toast up to her girlfriend's mouth. Without taking her eyes off Bo, Lauren wrapped her lips around the fork and took the offering as slowly and sensually as possible, allowing a small amount of syrup to dribble on her lip and chin. After she swallowed Lauren started to lick her lips but Bo quickly leaned in so she could do it herself. After licking her girlfriend's chin and lips clean of the sweet sticky syrup, Bo continued to kiss Lauren deeply for a few moments.

"Mmmm…At this rate you won't get halfway through your breakfast before it gets cold." Lauren chuckled as they came up for air.

"I think it's a fair trade." Bo held up another bite of french toast that Lauren gladly accepted, despite rolling her eyes. "So Bo, I wanted to talk about this coming week."

"Yeah?"

"Instead of the road trip to Montreal, how would you feel about a stay-cation?"

"Whatever you want babe. You're the one starting a new job in a week so it's your last chance to goof off. So if we stay here was their anything special you want to do?"

"Well I still have some loose ends to tie up at the lab since I've been otherwise occupied for the last couple days. But I also thought we should go ahead and get started on the house hunting while we both have time off to devote to it. I don't want to make any hasty decisions, but I think we should get started sooner rather than later. Considering the neighborhood we're in, it's a miracle the cars haven't been stolen or stripped by now. Keeping tarps over them isn't exactly a long term solution."

Bo's face lit up at the mention of house hunting. "Don't have to tell me twice. Sounds great babe, I'm in. Montreal will always be there."

"I thought we could spend the week in a fancy hotel suite for a nice change of scene. Something with a good view of the city. And a private jacuzzi – you know, the kind that don't require swimsuits." Lauren waggled her eyebrows gleefully.

"Oooh, those are the best kind!" Bo playfully pecked Lauren on the cheek. "So do we have any specific plans between now and the inauguration?"

"Well, there is that shower…" Lauren leered impishly and started kissing Bo's neck and shoulder.

Bo closed her eyes and sighed happily. "Mmmm…I mean besides that."

"I guess not. Just thought it would be a nice lazy day. Why, do you want to do something?"

"I want to do something nice for the gang as a little thank you for what they did for me at the hospital. They don't exactly make a hallmark card to thank someone for sacrificing their dignity to save your life. But I have an idea of what I could do for them, and the after-party at the Dal would be a good time for it. But I'll need time to get it together and we'll need to go shopping."

"Well we have most of the day free. So what is it?"

"Oh, I think you'll like it…"

* * *

Lauren closed her eyes and smiled as she slowly savored the first taste of her glass of champagne. She was already dressed for the inauguration so she was waiting in the kitchen for Bo to finish getting ready. Tonight would be the start of a new era and she felt like celebrating early.

She looked up as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. When Bo revealed herself as she entered the living room, Lauren quietly gasped at the vision of beauty before her. Bo wore a deep red, strapless, floor-length gown and her hair was swept up into a french twist with a few wavy locks framing her face.

"Bo, you look absolutely exquisite! You look like a princess on her way to the ball. Breathtaking!"

"Well I should hope so!" Bo exclaimed with a cheeky grin. "After the inauguration I _am_ going to a ball – and I am also the granddaughter of a _king_, you know." Bo took a long appreciative look at her girlfriend; a luxurious, waving cascade of blonde hair perfectly draped around her face and over her shoulders, and her dark teal evening gown accentuated her gentle curves in all the right places. "But I must say you fill out that dress much better than any Prince Charming ever could. You are so gorgeous baby. Just stunning."

"So get over here so I can mess up your lipstick." Lauren beckoned with her finger and a sly smile. Bo glided majestically toward her girlfriend and they met in a long, sensual kiss. "Would you like some champagne, babe?" Lauren offered when they finally came up for air.

"Celebrating early, I see. I'd love some. It tasted so good on your lips." Bo grinned flirtatiously.

Lauren handed Bo a flute of champagne and raised her own for a toast. "To a new beginning!" With beaming smiles, they clinked their glasses together and then linked their forearms as they each took a long sip.

"I'm going be so happy to see Hale sworn in permanently." Lauren said thoughtfully. "It's the dawn of a new era for the Fae and I look forward to seeing him bring forth the next Fae social evolution. But this is also a new beginning for us." Lauren placed her champagne on the counter and took a couple of breaths; Bo just watched her intently with soulful eyes. "Three weeks ago I was broken and scared and I almost threw away the source of my greatest happiness. But you wouldn't give up on us. And in such a short time, you channeled all your love and devotion into healing us. Into healing me. And I know that we're on the right path now."

Bo gently caressed Lauren's cheek. "I love you so much, Lauren. More than I know what to do with sometimes. But what we've been through, what we've accomplished, it wasn't all me. We healed ourselves, baby. We finally made things right again, together. And we _are_ on the right path now, I can feel it." She placed a gentle, lingering kiss on Lauren's lips and felt her eyes start to water.

"Remember when we called off the break and I said I wanted a probationary period?" Lauren asked gently. Bo simply nodded and put down her champagne on the counter, her expression unreadable. "That was fear talking, Bo. Fear of the future, fear of losing my sanity, fear of losing you. But I'm done living in fear. I'm a free, whole person and I'm in charge of my own destiny. I know that I'm strong again. I know our love is deep and lasting. And I know that we will stand together to face any scary challenges life will throw at us. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore." Lauren cupped Bo's face in her hands and pulled her in for a deep, loving kiss.

When they pulled apart, Lauren took both of Bo's hands in her own. "It's time."

Bo's breath hitched and her eyes opened wide. Her stomach fluttered anxiously as Bo heard her own words from several months ago when she had asked Lauren to be her girlfriend; but she was afraid to assume what Lauren actually meant now. "It's time?" She squeaked tentatively.

"Us." Lauren pronounced with conviction. As Bo's heart tried to pound its way out of her chest, Lauren reached over to her clutch purse on the counter and pulled out a small velvet box. "Be together. Forever."

She opened the box to reveal a beautiful white gold ring with a heart shaped ruby outlined with tiny diamonds. On either side of the heart were two hands in rose gold and at the top of the heart was a crown trimmed in yellow gold. Bo was mesmerized. Tears silently streamed down her face and a huge knot rose in her throat as Lauren continued.

"Our official relationship may still be new, but we have been in love for almost three years. No more wasting time, Bo. No more fear. Just a happy, confident leap of faith. Bo Dennis, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Bo immediately fell into Lauren's arms, hugging her tightly as she gently sobbed on her shoulder. "Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you!" Bo pulled back to look her beloved in the eye. "It's all I ever wanted. I love you Lauren Lewis!"

The lovers met in a tearful but happy kiss as they sealed their promise. Once they pulled apart Bo took a moment to gaze wondrously at the ring. "It's absolutely gorgeous!"

"It's a claddagh ring. It's a traditional Irish design. We may be different species, but we do have one part of our heritage in common. We both have grandparents from Ireland, although Trick was born long before the claddagh ring was ever invented. The hands represent friendship, the crown is for loyalty, and the heart of course is for love. The ring can be given for several reasons, for marriage, engagement, friendship, or it's passed down from parent to child. If you wear it with the heart pointing away from you, it means you are looking for love. Point it toward you and it means you're taken."

"Oh baby, that's so beautiful!" Bo held her hand up for Lauren to place the ring on her finger. "Make sure you put it on the right way." She winked flirtatiously.

Lauren gently pushed the ring onto Bo's finger and kissed it. "I hope you don't mind I didn't get down on one knee, because it's fairly impossible in this dress. And I thought it would be nice to give it to you while we were in formal wear."

Bo chuckled gleefully. "Baby I wouldn't have cared if you gave it to me while dancing naked on one of Trick's pool tables – I still would have said yes!"

"I don't think it's physically possible for me to consume the amount of alcohol that would require." Lauren playfully nipped Bo's bottom lip. "But I have something else for you."

Bo raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Oh?"

"As absolutely breathtaking as you are wearing that ring, it's not the most practical to wear while you're out taking down bad guys. But I don't ever want you to be without this little reminder of how much I love you, especially when you're out doing something dangerous. So…" Lauren reached into her clutch again and pulled out a second ring box. "This one is a bit more durable." She open the box to reveal a ring with the same basic design but it was all metal, with no raised stones to break off. "It's solid titanium alloy, one of the strongest metals on earth. It should be able to take a beating."

Bo stared at the second ring in awe, overwhelmed by her girlfriend's – no, her fiancé's – thoughtfulness. "Oh baby, they're both so beautiful. I will be so honored to wear either one of these!"

Lauren grinned proudly. "So now you have a ring for both sides of your personality."

"What's that, butch and femme?" Bo asked with a cheeky smile.

"No, babe." Lauren chuckled. She stroked a raven lock of hair that framed Bo's face. "For my beautiful, beloved Bo, and for my sultry succubus superhero. Both of whom I love dearly, endlessly." She enveloped Bo's lips in another passionate kiss. They forced themselves apart after a few moments before they passed the point of no return, since they knew they should be leaving shortly.

"You know, babe, you make my personality sound like a whole lot of B and S." Bo's melodramatic offended tone was easily betrayed by her sparkling eyes and devilish smirk.

"What can I say? I like the symmetrical poetic beauty of alliteration." Lauren retorted with mock academic snobbery.

Bo giggled mischievously. "And you are still a sexy dork, my luscious...lesbian…lover...Lauren…Lewis." She exaggerated each 'l' with a sensual flip of her tongue before smothering her fiancé with more amorous kisses.


	33. A New Beginning Part II

A/N: Once again I underestimated the length of a chapter, so "A New Beginning" will have 4 parts. :-)

* * *

"Where is everybody?" Lauren asked in frustration, after sweeping her eyes across the crowd for the sixth time. "I thought we would have seen them by the door. Have you even talked to Kenzi? I figured she left early since we never saw her after we got back to the clubhouse and we were so rushed to get ready…"

"I haven't talked to her but I know she was going over a few hours early since his Royal Ashness needed his 'stylist' to make sure he made the right impression tonight." Bo giggled.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Honestly, when are those two going to get a clue and jump each other already?"

"I know! They're otherwise fairly perceptive people but they are complete idiots when it comes to love and attraction!" Bo snorted in amusement, shaking her head.

"Yeah, but we can't really talk – after all, we fell in love at first sight and it still took us two years of stumbling in circles before we got our shit together." Lauren lifted Bo's hand to give it a playful kiss.

"Ok, good point." Bo conceded. "But it doesn't mean I'm not going to make fun of them once they do get together." She giggled mischievously. "Maybe the rest of the gang is inside holding the seats for us. The reserved section for friends and family is supposed to be down in front."

Lauren smirked. "You know, I'm surprised Hale's family didn't have a hissy fit when he informed them two lowly humans would be sitting with them."

"Oh, I'm sure they did." said Bo, rolling her eyes. "What's important is that Hale is finally standing up to them and not putting up with their shit. I have to say I'm really proud of him. He's not in his father's shadow anymore."

"Yeah, he's come a long way in the last three years." Lauren beckoned toward the entrance to the ballroom on the other side of the lobby. "Why don't we just go inside and find our seats."

"Ok sweetie."

They gradually made their way to the ballroom where there was yet another crowd to wade through. Groups of round tables lined the edges of the ballroom and a cluster of them were in front by the dais. The large space in the center was filled up with rows of folding chairs, which would be moved out of the way for the ball.

"You know I just realized, after our adventures at the hospital, when our friends see my completely healed hands, they're going to know _exactly_ what we've been up to! Be prepared for sex proxy jokes."

"Ugh, don't remind me. I knew things would never be the same when I had to tell them what 'proxy feeding' was. But I think the payoff was well worth the embarrassment. Hopefully they'll be too distracted by that rock on your finger to make crude jokes. At least I hope Kenzi is."

"You hope Kenzi is what?" asked an excited and familiar voice from behind them.

Bo and Lauren cringed as they turned around to greet their exuberant friend. _Oops_. _How much did she hear?_ "Hey Kenz. Uh, we were just hoping that you were already here." Bo quickly improvised.

"Yeah, I've been trying to get to you for the last five minutes. I saw you across the crowd but it was a bitch swimming through the ocean of Fae – but OMIGOD you guys! You'll never believe what happened! I've been going crazy not having anyone to tell!" Kenzi was unusually animated, even for her. Her face was practically glowing.

"What, what happened?" Bo wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not.

"Hale kissed me!" Kenzi squeaked, then immediately clamped her hand over her mouth, as if saying it out loud would break the spell and she had simply imagined the kiss.

"It's about damn time!" Bo exclaimed in exasperation, which was betrayed by the mirthful twinkle in her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, please!" Lauren chuckled and rolled her eyes. "You two have been tap dancing around each other for three years! It may have taken a while for us to finally get together but at least we knew from the beginning that we loved each other! I can't believe you're just figuring this out now."

"What? But how –"

"So did you kiss back?" Bo prodded with a smug grin.

"I was so shocked at first I just froze! But after a second I kissed back. I _definitely_ kissed back!" Kenzi giggled like a love struck schoolgirl. "And holy shit have you ever seen him with his shirt off?"

"Damn Kenz, you already got naked after one kiss? I have to admit I'm impressed." Bo teased.

"No!" Kenzi swatted Bo's arm. "It was last year. He took his shirt off after the Glaive's daughter puked on him. The man has an _eight_ pack!"

"You saw him shirtless and it still took you this long?" Lauren asked incredulously.

Kenzi shrugged sheepishly. "Well yeah, I knew he was hot – but I just didn't go there because I didn't think he thought of me that way and I didn't want to mess up our friendship. I also didn't think he would ever consider being with a human." Kenzi blurted out in a rush. "I still can't believe it!" She squealed.

During their giddy discussion about Kenzi's love life, the trio had continued to plod through the crowd toward the front of the ballroom. As the dais came into view, Lauren scanned the tables in front and she recognized a familiar face. "Hey, I see Trick down there! I think we must have gotten a table to ourselves, because he's at an empty table next to the rest of Hale's family."

"Well that will help with the awkward." Kenzi rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh of relief. "I wonder where Dyson is. Hale was expecting him to be here early. They were supposed to share a drink of some three hundred year old hootch before Hale makes his grand entrance. But nobody's seen him."

"I wonder if it's police related." Bo frowned pensively. "Does anyone know if Tamsin is supposed to be here? I thought she might be since Hale invited the Morrigan. You know,I admire his idealism but I wonder sometimes if he's just a bit too trusting."

"Hi, Trick," Lauren greeted as they arrived at their table. Trick smiled enthusiastically and stood up to welcome his friends and granddaughter.

"Hello, ladies! You all look absolutely stunning!"

The three women were equally impressed by Trick's formal wear. He wore a black Victorian-era tailcoat tuxedo with a burgundy waistcoat accented with a golden cravat. "Wow Trick, you're looking quite dapper yourself this evening!" Bo gushed cheerfully.

"Bo it's so good to see you up and about! And so radiant!" Trick was beaming with pride and affection. "And you better not give me a scare like that again!" he admonished with a smile.

"Holy shit I can't believe I didn't notice!" Kenzi roughly grabbed Bo's right hand and held it up for examination. "Well, well, well, out of the hospital for only one day and your hands look like _that_? You guys must have had one hell of a pervy proxy party while you were out last night!"

"Kenz –"

"I guess that explains the flying bra that hit me in the face when you guys came home. Must have had a lot of extra chi to burn!" Kenzi giggled devilishly.

"Can you not make fun of my sex life in front of my _grandfather_?"

"Oh come on, BoBo . When has that ever stopped – HEY! Hey, hey, _HEY!_ Bo, what is that on your finger?"

"It's a ring." Bo answered coyly. Trick's eyes opened wide as he stared at Bo's left hand.

"I can see that. Are you going to explain to us why you have a sparkly rock on your left ring finger?" Kenzi demanded.

Bo and Lauren smiled ardently at each other as Bo grasped her fiancé's hand and brought it to her lips for a sweet kiss. "It was given to me by my fiancé."

"Holy shitballs! _Lauren_ popped the question? Wow, totally did not see that coming. Way to go, Hotpants!" Kenzi affectionately bumped Lauren's arm with her fist.

Trick was momentarily stunned as all his worries about Fae/human relationships immediately came to mind. But as soon as he saw the look of pure joy on Bo's face, he knew without a doubt that they would always find a way to rise above their obstacles.

"Congratulations!" Trick pulled his granddaughter into a heartfelt hug. "I'm so glad you found the one who makes you complete." He pulled back so he could look at Bo, who was so touched when she saw that his eyes were watery with emotion. "Love is such a wondrous gift, Bo. Protect it well."

"I will. With all my heart and soul." Bo vowed.

Trick gave Bo a final affectionate squeeze and then turned to Lauren, surprising her when he pulled her into an embrace as well. "Welcome to the family, Lauren. Thank you for making my granddaughter so incredibly happy. It's a wonderful thing to behold."

"Thank you, Trick. That really means a lot to me." Lauren felt her own eyes watering, yet her voice remained confident and steady. "Believe me, I know how lucky I am to have found Bo. She makes me indescribably happy and I will never again be so foolish as to let her go."

"You better not," Kenzi snickered, "because in the event of a heartbreak, my threat of lethal head injury still stands!"

Lauren chuckled good-naturedly. "Trust me Kenzi, you have nothing to worry about. No cold feet, I swear. Bo and I have loved each other for so long and I finally realized that we've wasted enough time. When I proposed it just felt so right." She grinned impishly. "Even though I surprised the hell out of her."

"Best surprise of my life!" Bo tenderly cradled Lauren's face in her hands and gave her fiancé a slow but chaste kiss.

They were interrupted by the sounds of a small brass band playing a fanfare that signaled the start of the ceremony. The foursome quickly took their seats and watched as the processional of Elders filed onto the small stage. Once the Elders took their seats, Hale confidently entered and joined them on the dais, sitting in a larger, more ornate chair in the center. Unlike Lachlan before him, Hale wore a stylish modern suit instead of the traditional royal regalia.

"Where the hell is Dyson?" Kenzi whispered loudly as soon as the brass fanfare stopped. No sooner than the words were out of her mouth, Dyson appeared out of nowhere and quickly took a seat next to Trick. "Where have you been? You almost missed his grand entrance!"

"Something came up. Explain later." Dyson replied vaguely.


	34. A New Beginning Part III

After much pomp and circumstance and an extremely boring speech by the Senior Elder, the gold wreath-like band was crowned upon Hale's head. The crowd applauded enthusiastically, but Kenzi of course shrieked and whistled shrilly and pumped her fists as if she were at a football game.

Once the ceremony concluded and Hale had led the procession of Elders off the stage, the members of the audience who didn't have tickets to the ball slowly filed out and a crew of Fae quickly removed the folding chairs and stacked them on a large dolly to be rolled out of the ballroom in record time. Many of the ball attendees also left their tables to take advantage of the complementary refreshments set up in the lobby, but Bo and her friends remained at their table waiting for Hale to eventually join them.

"I can't believe it's finally official! We are, like, best buds with the _reigning Ash!_ How cool is that? And my god he looked hot in that Armani suit…" While Kenzi waxed rhapsodic about the new object of her affections, Dyson gaped at her in puzzled amusement.

Bo looked at Dyson's strange expression, then rolled her eyes and explained, "Hale finally kissed her!"

"It's about damn time!" Dyson guffawed with a wide grin.

"That's what I said!" Bo giggled as Kenzi stopped babbling and frowned at her friends.

"So did _everybody_ know about this but me?" Kenzi whined incredulously.

"Of course not, Kenz," teased Dyson. "Hale didn't have a clue either!" Kenzi swatted Dyson's shoulder indignantly, but she couldn't stifle her grin. "But he must have figured it out sooner than you since he kissed you first!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Trick saw Hale re-enter the ballroom to greet his family at the nearby tables. "Speaking of the man of the hour…"

The rest of the group turned in Hale's direction as he looked up and smiled brightly at his friends. Kenzi watched with rapt attention as Hale shook his father's hand, hugged his mother, and exchanged pleasantries with his other family members. "Just look at him! He looks so…stately and powerful – but not in a scary dictator way. And he's totally hot."

"Yes, our beloved siren is finally all grown up!" Dyson declared proudly.

Hale finally extricated himself from the family small talk and eagerly approached his friends' table. Dyson stood to give his friend a congratulatory hug, but Kenzi flew right past him and threw herself into Hale's arms, almost knocking him over.

"Hey, slow down there, li'l mama!" Hale chuckled as he hugged Kenzi tightly. He looked up to see his friends watching him and Kenzi affectionately, with obvious approval in their eyes. So he threw caution to the wind and shamelessly kissed her, not giving a damn that a tableful of his relatives were cringing in mortification.

Dyson gave Hale a manly pat on the back. "It looks like I have two reasons to congratulate you, my friend!"

Hale and Kenzi broke their embrace but he kept an arm around her shoulders. "Thanks, man. It's all good." Hale's nonchalance was betrayed by his electric, beaming smile.

"Ohmigod, BoBo! You gotta tell 'em your news!" squealed Kenzi.

Hale and Dyson looked at Bo expectantly. She and Lauren shared a conspiratorial grin and then Bo held up her left hand to show off the ring. "We're getting married!"

"Hey girl, that's awesome! Congratulations, ladies!" Hale said enthusiastically.

"Wow, that was fast!" Dyson chuckled. He looked at both women with genuine affection, his own love pangs soothed by the knowledge that Bo was happy and deeply loved. "But when you know what you want, there's no sense in wasting time. I'm really happy for you both."

"Thanks, guys." Bo said. "I can't begin to tell you how happy I am."

"How happy we both are." Lauren added. "And you're right Dyson, I finally realized we'd been wasting precious time. We already knew we were in love." Lauren grasped Bo's hand lovingly and looked into her eyes. "It was just a matter of trusting it."

Bo's eyes became watery and she squeezed Lauren's hand. Lauren continued, "I didn't tell you this sweetie, but I went out and bought that ring right after I met with Hale to discuss the paperwork. I knew it was too early and a little presumptuous, not to mention scary, but it was my symbol of hope for the future. I just didn't think I would give it to you so soon. But the time felt right."

Lauren turned her focus to her friend, the new Ash. "And I also have you to thank Hale. Getting my freedom back changed me. I finally found myself again. And it gave me a future to hope for." Lauren's eyes were full of happy, unshed tears. "And that gave me the push to finally go after what I really wanted," she turned to look adoringly at her fiancé, "to live my life with this incredible, amazing woman." Bo leaned in and gave Lauren a gentle kiss on the lips.

"The pleasure was all mine, Lauren. It's the best thing I've done with my new authority so far."

"Show 'em your ring, BoBo! It's gorgeous, you guys!" Kenzi said excitedly.

Bo smiled brightly and held her ring out so the three men could look at it more closely. They all smiled when they recognized the design. "Ah, it's a Claddagh ring." Dyson said as he looked up at Lauren with kind eyes.

Trick offered his heartfelt approval. "A beautiful choice, Lauren."

"Damn, girl. That's a hell of a rock!" Hale grinned.

Kenzi was puzzled that all three men new that the ring had some special meaning. "So what's a Claddagh ring?"

"It's a traditional Irish ring. The hands are for friendship, the crown for loyalty, and the heart for love." Bo explained.

"I also got it to honor our Irish heritage. Both of us have grandparents from Ireland."

"And if you wear it with the heart pointing toward you, it means you're taken." Bo smiled proudly.

"Aww, that is so cool guys!" Kenzi gushed.

Dyson suddenly stood up. "Hang on guys, don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." He quickly left the ballroom as all of his friends stared after him in confusion.

"What the hell was that about?" exclaimed Kenzi. "Maybe something to do with why he was late? He was all weird and cryptic about it."

"I don't know if it's anything to do with his hasty exit, but I know why he was late, he called me." Hale finally sat down and leaned in, with his voice low. "Ok, this is on the QT so it doesn't leave this table." Everyone else nodded and leaned in to listen. "Dyson and Tamsin have been working on a couple body dumps. And this morning the trail finally led them to a field, and they could sense death all around them. They just got a crew together to start excavating the area so Dyson and Tamsin went back to check in with the team. They've turned up several more bodies. All Fae, different species, both Light and Dark. It does not look good. There is something very bad going on here. Someone or something is hunting down and torturing Fae."

"Holy shit." Bo whispered in alarm.

"Yeah so, I asked Dyson to stay as long as possible and keep Tamsin occupied so she wouldn't go report back to the Morrigan before the inauguration. We didn't need a panicked, angry crowd calling for blood before I could get officially sworn in. So now my first job as the Ash is one hell of a mess to clean up. We don't want it getting out until we're further along with the investigation. The more time we have to work on this without dealing with civil unrest the better. But there's only so long we can keep it under wraps before people need to be warned about their safety."

"God, Hale. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I know that's a lot of bodies for your regular M.E. to handle, but – I just can't. I'm starting with the Taft foundation next week and I really need this week off to take care of personal stuff." Lauren said regretfully.

"Oh, no, no, no! Lauren, of course not," Hale reassured. "I wouldn't dream of laying any of this on you. You are free and you don't owe the Light Fae anything."

"Thank you, I really appreciate that. Listen, after I get started with Taft, if the case is still open and something totally weird comes up that needs a second opinion, I'll try to make time for some consultation if necessary, but this coming week is for Bo and me."

Hale was genuinely touched by Lauren's offer. "You are amazing, doctor, that's so generous of you. We'll do our best not to pester you, but if it's absolutely necessary I'll take you up on your offer – and you will be appropriately compensated for you time, of course."

"Deal."

"So Hale," said Bo, voicing concern. "do you know where Tamsin is now? Did he ever let her out of his sight? He had to if he went home to change his clothes."

"I don't know yet, this is the first I've seen him since they got back."

"I thought Tamsin might be here since you invited the Morrigan, but I didn't see her either. Did any of you guys see her?"

"I'm not surprised, really. I'm sure it was intended as an official snub, but I'm sure she sent her spies to keep her apprised of everything. For all I know Tamsin is one of them." Hale just shrugged. "At least nothing interrupted my swearing in. I'll start dealing with this mess tomorrow."

Dyson re-entered the ballroom and briskly headed for their table. He was carrying several empty plastic cups from the refreshment table in the lobby.

"I just filled the gang in on the case." Hale informed Dyson as soon as he arrived back at the table.

"Yeah, I guess they need to know – it just sucks to ruin tonight's celebration with such grim news." Dyson muttered.

"So where's Tamsin? Do you know if she's been able to talk to the Morrigan yet?" Bo asked urgently.

"Luckily I had my suit in the car so we came straight here. I think she just stood in the back to watch the ceremony. But what's important is she didn't have the chance to talk to the Morrigan before it started. I don't know if she's reported back by now or not. She's not staying for the ball, I guess she's not the evening gown type." Every one smirked at the visual image of Tamsin dressed in formal wear.

"She might come to the afterparty – she'd go anywhere for free booze, even at the risk of having her ass kicked." Dyson chuckled while looking impishly at Bo. "Besides, she'll never admit it, but I think she might actually like us." His last statement provoked a lot of muffled giggles from the group of close friends.

"How have you and Tamsin been feeling? You really should have had more time off after being drained of so much chi." Lauren asked with concern.

"A little tired, to be honest. But it's nothing major. Under the circumstances this is a bad time to take off work."

"So what's with the cups, D-man?" asked Kenzi.

Dyson smiled, welcoming the change in subject. "Well, Hale and I had planned on sharing a special drink right before the ceremony." He pulled an ornate flask from his breast pocket. "This fine scotch whiskey was aged in the cask for seventy years and bottled about two hundred and fifty years ago. I've been waiting a long time for the right occasion and the right person to share it with. But in light of our other good news, I think there's enough to go around."

Bo and Lauren were quite touched at the gesture. "Thank you Dyson." Lauren smiled genuinely. "It's an honor."

Dyson opened the flask and began pouring small amounts of the scotch into the cups and passed them around the table. Once everyone received their drink, he raised his cup to propose a toast. "As the Light Fae enter a new era, and our dear friends Bo and Lauren start a new life together, let us drink a toast. Here's to new beginnings!"

"To new beginnings!"

"Here, here!"

Just as the friends took their first sips, a small orchestra up on the dais began playing to signal the start of the ball. Most of the attendees were just beginning to filter back into the ballroom and return to their tables. Despite the empty dance floor, Lauren put down her empty cup and turned to Bo and asked, "May I have this dance?"

Bo smiled brightly and offered her hand for Lauren to take. "I would love to!" Lauren led her to the middle of the ballroom where they came together in a gentle embrace and stared lovingly into each other's eyes. They simply swayed back and forth to the music, not caring that all eyes were on them and they had no idea how to ballroom dance.

As their friends watched them affectionately, Hale turned to Kenzi and offered his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Kenzi raised her eyebrows in shock. "Hale you've been the Ash for less than an hour. Isn't it a little soon to create a scandal by dancing with a human?"

Hale just grinned mischievously. "Bring it on."

Bo and Lauren watched as Hale led Kenzi onto the dance floor. "Wow. Hale really is serious about leading by example." Bo sighed wistfully. "They really do make a cute couple."

They suddenly stopped swaying and stared in shock as Hale and Kenzi glided effortlessly around the ballroom.

Lauren giggled and turned to her fiancé. "Wow. Who knew those two could ballroom dance?"


	35. A New Beginning Part IV

Here it is folks! The actual last chapter of my 'little' story! It's been a wild ride. Thank you all so much for reading, and if you haven't yet, I'd love it if you post a review. :-)

Stay tuned for the Epilogue!

* * *

It was well after midnight by the time everyone went home to change out of their formal wear and reconvened back at the Dal for their own personal party. Bo and Lauren were second to arrive after Trick, who was already there since he lived downstairs.

"I wonder how late Kenzi and Hale will be – because you _know_ those two are going to be making out like horny teenagers as soon as he picks her up." Bo giggled knowingly.

"Of course they will!" Lauren rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Why do you think she didn't want to ride with us?"

They looked up at the sound of the front door opening and in walked Dyson and Tamsin, who was wearing her usual scowl on her face. "Hi guys, come have a free drink!" Trick offered cheerfully.

"Hey Tamsin, how have you been feeling?" asked Lauren politely. "I hear that you weren't able to get much time off to rest after being drained. Any weakness or dizziness?"

And true to form, Tamsin couldn't resist saying something sarcastic and inappropriate. "Oh, I've been just _fine_ doctor. I usually feel pretty invigorated after a good hard fuck – don't you?"

"So who wants to play pool?" Dyson blurted just a little too loudly, as he tried to pretend he didn't hear Tamsin's crude comment about their chi donating activities.

"Sure, I'm in!" Bo replied with equally awkward enthusiasm.

Lauren didn't take the bait and simply sighed and shook her head in mild amusement. She really shouldn't have expected anything less from Tamsin. "I'm glad to hear there were no ill effects."

Over at the pool table, Bo was racking the balls as Dyson chalked his cue. "I'm really glad to see your arms and hands back to normal, Bo."

"Please Dyson, no proxy jokes!"

"Oh no, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying that I'm glad you healed quickly, because it tore me apart to see you suffer like that."

"Thanks Dyson, I appreciate that." She smiled genuinely at her friend. "Your break."

"Look, I know you and Lauren were forced to share something with us that should have stayed private. But honestly, it gives me peace of mind knowing that you two have found a way to protect your relationship while still keeping you healthy. So you won't hear any jokes from me." He aimed his cue and sent the billiard balls scattering across the table, sinking two balls. "Stripes."

"Damn, good thing we're not playing for money." She shook her head as Dyson sunk another ball.

"Just so you know, I won't ever push you to let me heal you again, at least not the conventional way. I won't put you in that position again. I totally lost it at the hospital, and Lauren, she was amazing. She kept it together and saved the day – she took care of you in ways that I couldn't. I won't underestimate her again." Dyson finally missed a shot and indicated for Bo to take a turn.

"Yeah, she really is amazing. I was so terrified and helpless and the pain was blinding, but she made me feel safe and calm. It really means a lot to me you two are starting to build a friendship." Bo sunk two balls and missed the third shot. "Lauren wants me to carry a gun."

"Really? Although after what happened, I can hardly blame her." Dyson pointed to a corner pocket and took his shot. "I wish you had a gun that day. You could have taken her down before she got near enough to touch you."

"It's gonna take some getting used to, but I know you guys are right. I'm going to need some training, so I might as well take an official course to get a legal permit. Think you can hook me up with the right people? And it would also be cool if you came gun shopping with me."

"Sure, I'd be happy to."

"You know, I've always wondered how you got into police work. Did you actually go to a police academy and start out walking the beat in a uniform?"

Dyson chuckled as he sunk another ball. "Actually no. Believe it or not, I was a self-taught private eye in the forties and fifties. Had a fedora and a trench coat and everything. I even shaved."

"No shit!" That visual image made it impossible for Bo to hold in her laughter.

"Anyway, I was approached by the Ash because he was looking for another Fae recruit to be placed as a homicide detective in the human police force. It was a position that best served the Fae while at the same time blending in with humans. The Fae need a strong police presence so we can clean up any suspicious Fae messes before they can be exposed."

Bo was still giggling and ended up missing her shot. She rolled her eyes and exhaled sharply in exasperation. Dyson shot her a sly smile and sunk another ball.

"The Ash falsified my credentials and pulled strings, then I was assigned to a precinct that already had a seasoned Fae detective, and I was sort of his apprentice. He taught me the ropes and also covered for me when I messed up so the humans wouldn't notice that I was clueless about a lot of police procedure. But I eventually figured out what I was doing. But so much of what I learned back then is obsolete now, so you have to learn by experience anyway. Eight ball side pocket."

"Hey there's Kenzi and Hale!" Bo blurted extra loudly, startling Dyson and making him sink the cue ball. Bo batted her eyelashes coquettishly. "Oops!" Dyson just shook his head and sighed in resignation. Bo called over to the bar, "Hey Lo, the love birds are here. Time to get this party started!"

Lauren smiled and slipped off her barstool. She waved at Kenzi and Hale as she walked around the bar and beckoned Trick to come with her. He nodded and they both slipped off to the kitchen. Dyson and Bo approached the bar to greet the newcomers.

"Well you two are certainly fashionably late!" Dyson teased.

Hale opened his mouth to respond, but Bo quickly interrupted. "And Kenzi, you might want to fix your lipstick. You look like the Joker." She deadpanned.

Kenzi turned to Hale with a wicked smile. "Busted!"

Hale immediately produced a clean handkerchief so Kenzi could wipe away the smeared evidence of their amorous activities.

"So gather around guys, I got a little surprise for you!" Bo announced as she moved behind the bar. Trick emerged from the kitchen carrying a stack of bowls and spoons in one hand and a half gallon of vanilla ice cream in the other.

"Oooh, ice cold yummy goodness! Did we get a celebratory cake?" Kenzi sounded excited enough that she could have been hopped up on sugar already.

"Not exactly." Lauren announced as she came in holding a large baking dish covered in foil.

"Yay, one of Lauren's yummy masterpieces! Even better!"

Lauren coyly winked at Bo, urging her to speak. "I wanted to give you guys a little token of my appreciation for what you did for me at the hospital. Although what you gave me is priceless in comparison. But every one of you selflessly volunteered to do something that would probably ruin your reputations if word got out." She grinned impishly as her friends chuckled and blushed.

"Not me. I don't care who knows who I fuck."

"Yes, Tamsin I'm sure you don't. But I appreciate it anyway. So, in return I decided to do something nice for you guys that would totally ruin _my_ reputation if word got out. So I won't tell your secret if you won't tell mine."

All of her friends were staring at her quizzically, having no clue what the hell she was talking about, and what it could possibly have to do with ice cream.

Lauren pulled back the foil on the baking dish as Bo continued. "I actually made this peach cobbler myself, it's my very own recipe. It won first place at the 1998 Grimley Youth Cobbler Bake-off."

Her friends responded with a mixture of gasps, giggles and various exclamations of surprise.

"OMIGOD you're shitting me!"

"Damn girl, you got skills!"

"You're a woman of many talents! But I shouldn't be surprised."

"More proof you should never be underestimated. Isabeau would be proud."

"This is your big secret? _Lame_."

Lauren and Bo dug into the cobbler and started filling a bowl for each of their friends, and passed them down to Trick to add a scoop of ice cream. Everybody dove in to their cobbler as soon as they received it. Bo beamed with pride as her friends responded with happy sounds of approval as they ate. Hale gave a thumbs up while shoveling cobbler in his mouth. Kenzi ate half her cobbler while moaning obscenely.

"Hot damn this is awesome!" Kenzi said around a mouthful of cobbler. "When did you make this? I think I would have noticed the smell of baking."

"We used the kitchen at my old place." Lauren admitted with a sly smile.

"Sneaky! Oh my god – is their enough for seconds?"

"Help yourself, Kenz." Bo pushed the cobbler pan over toward her bestie.

"This is a real treat Bo." Trick smiled kindly. "No reason to be embarrassed. Baking is a real skill, you should take pride in it."

"Well, I can handle my friends knowing, but when I'm shakin' down the bad guys, I need my rep as the bad-ass unaligned succubus to precede me!"

Lauren approached her fiancé with two bowls of cobbler. "Hey babe, would you like to join me at a private table?"

"I'd love to, sweetie." Bo took one of the bowls and followed Lauren to a corner booth. They slid in to sit right next to each other and met in a gentle kiss. Bo scooped up some cobbler and held it up for Lauren to taste, who eagerly took the offering.

"Oh god Bo, this is incredible. I really do love to eat your peaches!" Lauren winked flirtatiously as she savored the cobbler. As soon as she swallowed, Bo captured her lips in a sensuous, sweet and sticky kiss. "We are going to have to make time to bake when Kenzi is out of the house. Because it just wouldn't taste the same unless you wear your new gingham apron over your birthday suit again." Bo simply giggled and pulled Lauren in for a lingering, passionate kiss.

They took turns kissing and feeding each other until their bowls were finally empty. "Well baby, tomorrow is the proverbial first day of the rest of our lives. So what's on the agenda?" Bo asked while gently stroking Lauren's cheek.

"I have to go into the lab one last day to wrap things up. So I thought that while I'm gone, you could hit the net and check out some real estate sites. We also need to find a swanky hotel for our stay-cation, so you can also do a little research and find one that has an in-room Jacuzzi and full complement of amenities. A mini-fridge would be nice, and definitely make sure they have room service."

Bo pulled Lauren in for another wet and sexy kiss. "Mmm… that is my kind of web research!" She gave her fiancé an affectionate peck on the nose. "So are you looking forward to your new job, baby?"

"I am. It's got a lot of potential. But what's most important, Bo, is I'm simply looking _forward_. I used to be afraid of all the unknowns of the future. But now my future is mine to create, and I know, with you by my side, we will create something beautiful together. I love you so much Bo. Thank you for working so hard to set us on the right path."

"Babe, any path is the right path as long as we walk along it together. Everything else will fall into place. Thank you for trusting our love, and trusting yourself. I think you're going to continue to re-discover yourself, and when you finally meet her, you're going to find out that she's totally awesome! I love you more than I know how to express, Lauren."

"I think you're doing a pretty good job, sweetie!" Lauren smiled self-deprecatingly. "Since it's after midnight, technically the first day of the rest of our lives has already begun. I don't know about you, but I can think of something much more _satisfying_ that we could be doing instead of sitting in a booth at the Dal."

Bo smiled wickedly and without a word slid out of the booth and held her hand out for Lauren to join her. They cheerfully made the rounds to say good-bye to their chosen family. Then the happy couple linked arms and walked confidently out of the Dal, eager to meet their future. _Together_.

FIN


	36. Epilogue

A/N: Hello faithful readers! Sorry for such a long wait but I hope it was worth it. This is one huge, fat, and juicy epilogue! It's about the length of 5 chapters. Please review, would love to see what you think! Thanks for reading! :-)

PS: Includes mature sexual content. Read at your own risk.

* * *

**_EPILOGUE: Six Months Later_**

Lauren was in the kitchen chopping up raw chicken when she heard the distinctive rumble of Bo's old Camaro pulling into the garage. Normally she would have opened the door as a courtesy, but since her hands were a mess, she hoped that Kenzi didn't forget her key again.

"Hey Hotpants, I didn't expect to see your car in the garage." Kenzi announced as she and Tamsin came in through the side door connecting the kitchen to the garage. "Did you just get home?"

"Hey Kenz, hey TamTam," greeted Lauren. "No, I took the afternoon off, so I thought we could have an early dinner. I sometimes forget that I'm able to do that." She chuckled. "I'm still not used to having this much freedom. The work environment is so different."

"Oh, I know why you're home – Bo's finally coming back from that stakeout today!" Tamsin giggled knowingly as she went to the fridge to get a juice box. "Surveillance is like totes boring."

"So…you needed some extra time to tidy up the Pervy Proxy Suite of Lurve? Is it candles and incense or whips and chains tonight?" Kenzi taunted with a mischievous grin.

"God Kenzi, must you keep calling it that? And if I find out you've let that slip to Hale and the others, your gaming system will be taking a swim in Lake Ontario. And seriously, whips and chains?" Lauren whined.

"Oh come on, Doc!" Tamsin chimed in. "You bought a house with an apartment over the garage – and renovated it – and nobody lives in it even though you have two roommates. Do you really think that the guys _don't_ know what you use it for?"

"Couldn't you at least let me _pretend_ that my life has some semblance of privacy?"

"Uh, I'm pretty sure that ship sailed when Bo got barbecued." Kenzi deadpanned. "Which reminds me – what's for dinner?"

Lauren sighed in amused resignation. "Chicken vindaloo." Tamsin wrinkled her nose at the odd sounding name. "It's Indian, you'll like it."

"I have learned not to ever question the Doc's culinary choices." Kenzi remarked to Tamsin. "No matter how weird it sounds, everything she cooks tastes amazing." Kenzi opened the lid on a large pot of simmering sauce and took a good sniff. "Smells strange, but kinda good."

Lauren smirked as she brought the cutting board full of chopped chicken over to the stove and used the knife to push the meat into the sauce. "Put the lid back on so it can simmer." She placed the board and knife in the sink and washed her hands.

"So Lauren, Hale wanted me to tell you something, but you can't tell Bo, because it's a surprise." said Kenzi, as she covered the pot of sauce and chicken again.

"Oh? What's going on?"

"Ok, so…during his welcome speech tomorrow Hale is going to give Bo some award to officially recognize her for all her heroics for the last few years." Kenzi wandered over toward the washer and dryer that were in a built-in nook on the opposite side of the large kitchen. "It will probably be one of the few things in Bo's life that will make her blush! Anyway, so we _have_ to make sure to get Bo there in time for the welcome speech before the booze starts flowing and La Shoshain becomes La Sho-shitfaced."

"Wow, that's really cool. She definitely deserves –"

"Ah-HAH!" Kenzi yelled as she pointed to the dryer she had just opened. "Freshly cleaned sheets! I knew it was proxy night!"

"Jesus Christ! There _are_ other beds in the house, you know! And there is no 'proxy night.' It's at Bo's discretion when or if she needs to uh, have company." Lauren muttered. _And I actually thought bringing donors here would be more private than the Bacchus club. Yeah, right_.

Kenzi was in mid-eye-roll when Bo suddenly appeared at the entrance of the dining room. "Did I hear something about having company for dinner? Smells great babe."

"Oh hey, baby! I didn't hear you come in." At the first sight of Bo, Lauren's face lit up in happy surprise.

"Hey, Cagney's back!" Tamsin said with a little wave in Bo's direction.

"Dyson just dropped me off out front. So who's coming over?"

"Depends on how hungry you are!" Kenzi leered.

"Ignore her." Lauren groused.

"Okaaay. So – wait, uh, TamTam what did you call me?" Bo looked questioningly at Tamsin.

"Cagney! From that show. I watched all the reruns." Tamsin beamed proudly.

"No Tam," Kenzi corrected, "she's gotta be Lacey, the brunette with the attitude."

"What do you think Bo? Cagney or Lacey?" Tamsin looked at Bo expectantly.

"Uh, neither."

"You gotta pick one!" Tamsin whined childishly.

"She's detective Rizzoli." Lauren grinned wickedly as she approached Bo.

"That's right babe." With a cheeky smile, Bo pulled Lauren into an embrace. "Because Rizzoli comes with Dr. Isles."

"Oh, I'm sure she does!" Kenzi guffawed as Bo and Lauren enjoyed a very long-awaited 'hello' kiss.

"Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes, sweetie. Can I get you a drink?"

"That's ok babe. I just want to change out of these clothes. After thirty-six hours, even leather isn't so sexy anymore."

"I beg to differ." Lauren whispered in Bo's ear. "Kenzi, take the rice off the burner when the timer goes off and stir the vindaloo at least once. We'll be back soon." With a sly smile Lauren took Bo's hand and led her up the stairs.

"Dinner in twenty minutes my ass." Kenzi grumbled.

* * *

"I just don't get that girl." Bo chuckled as they climbed the stairs.

"Who, TamTam?"

"It's been five months since Little T started looking like Big T, but I swear that girl can bounce from grown-up to child to teenager all within ten minutes. I can never figure out if I should have a beer with her or be afraid to swear in front of her." Once they got to the bedroom, Bo sat on the bed and started to pull off her boots.

"Considering she's only about six months old, everything she learns about the world is coming into her awareness in a rapid jumble of age-appropriateness. Frankly it's amazing that her brain can assimilate so much stimuli so fast without exploding." Lauren took Bo's leather jacket from her and draped it over a chair. "She may be unpredictable and quirky but it's actually been nice to see her real personality develop. Her brazen attitude is actually oddly charming without the bitterness tainting it." Lauren climbed on the bed and knelt behind Bo and began rubbing her stiff neck and shoulders.

"Yeah, but who knows how long that will last once she remembers the more unpleasant stuff of her past lives." Bo frowned pensively. "And she'll probably remember the bad crap that's most recent. I really don't want to deal with her hating me when she remembers that she died taking a bullet to save my ass – for the second time – after getting burned saving it the first time. And on top of that, I took her job. That will definitely chap her ass." Bo groaned as Lauren massaged a particularly tense knot on her shoulder. "Mmmm…that's so good babe."

"I think you should be more worried if she starts crushing on you again!" Lauren giggled, then affectionately kissed the top of Bo's head.

"You really think so? We're practically her parents now!" Bo was horrified at the thought.

"Kenzi is closer to being her mom than we are. You're the really cool bad-ass aunt, and hero worship very easily turns into crushing. Last week she was asking if you were Xena or Gabrielle. Obvious much? Then it was Buffy or Faith. She's totally fishing. She wants to be your sidekick." Lauren chuckled. "At least this time she went with something more realistic."

"Two middle aged women with kids and sensible shoes?" Bo snarked.

"Cops, doofus!" Lauren started kissing and licking up and down Bo's neck, causing her to softly gasp and moan. "You know, as an ex-military pacifist doctor who hates guns," Lauren lightly licked the rim of Bo's ear, giving her delicious shivers, "nothing surprised me more than when I saw how incredibly _hot_ you are with a shoulder holster and a badge on your belt." Lauren stroked her hands down Bo's back and then reached around to cup both of her breasts. Bo groaned and tipped her head back to rest on Lauren's shoulder.

"Mmm…Yeah, but unless I'm wearing a jacket," Bo inhaled sharply as Lauren continued to fondle her, "the shoulder holster totally ruins the look of a bustier."

Lauren smiled and unbuckled Bo's shoulder holster and carefully slipped it off with her gun. "Your belt holster is just as sexy." She pulled off Bo's skin-tight black t-shirt, unbuckled her belt, and removed her knife and sheath. "Lie back sweetie and I'll give you a foot rub." Lauren slipped off the bed so Bo could recline. Bo unbuttoned her leather pants and Lauren peeled them off her legs before climbing back on the bed and taking one of Bo's tired feet in her hands.

Bo sighed contently. "Baby you are so good at that. I may have to keep you around just for the foot rubs." She winked playfully when Lauren's loving smile caught her eye.

"I just wish you didn't have to go on marathon stakeouts."

"Well, if the case is Fae related, it's best to be handled by Fae cops – and there's only so many of those to go around. Speaking of cases, did Kenzi finally decide to take on that client with a pissed off Brownie squatting in her basement?"

"Yeah, Kenzi and Tamsin went to go check it out today. But she hasn't had a chance to tell me how they're going to handle it."

"I bet she could lure him away to go clean up a hoarder's house!" Bo smirked playfully.

Lauren snorted and shook her head in amusement. "As long as it isn't a Packrat Fae. They can get pretty vicious if you try to throw out their stuff." Lauren gave Bo's foot a final squeeze and patted her leg. "Ok sweetie, why don't you go take a hot shower and I'll have dinner ready for you when you get out."

"Hey, no fair! I need more lovin' after that boob tease!" Bo pouted adorably as Lauren giggled and stood up from the bed.

"You'll live. If we get carried away, then dinner will either be gone or ruined by the time we've finished. But how are you doing on chi? Did you get enough snacks while you were gone? Do you want to bring in some donors tonight?"

"My tank is fairly low, but frankly I'm just too tired to go out and thrall people tonight. I'd rather enjoy the night with just you babe." Bo sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed so she could wrap her arms around Lauren's waist and nuzzle her tummy. "Besides, the pick-me-up I get from you will get me through till the next feed." She looked up at Lauren's face. "I mean, if you're up to it of course. I don't want to presume."

Lauren stroked Bo's hair and grinned mischievously. "Baby, after being without you for so long, you can presume all you want. I might not need chi, but I definitely need you." She pulled Bo into a standing position. "Although we shouldn't go all night again. You need to rest up so you can enjoy tomorrow's festivities."

"Ok, but I'm not making any promises!" Bo gave Lauren a cheeky grin and then smothered her with persistent kisses.

* * *

"Come on you guys, we're gonna be late! We _have_ to be there before it starts! Come on!" Kenzi anxiously yelled up the stairs, as hyper as a kid on Christmas.

"Chill Kenzi. There's no rush." said Bo as she and Lauren came down the stairs. "I promise there will be plenty of beer left! Besides it's lame to come too early to a party."

Lauren just rolled her eyes. "We should be ok Kenz, traffic isn't going to be so bad at this time of day." If Kenzi kept laying it on so thick then Bo would know something was up. Lauren decided a little improvisation might help. "So Kenzi, why are you all fired up anyway? Do you need to talk to Hale before he gives the official welcome speech?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. And I have to make sure his outfit looks right. The man sucks at tying a tie. TamTam are you ready yet?" Kenzi yelled toward the Valkyrie's bedroom.

"I'm sure he looks fine!" Bo replied. "He's probably had a couple of centuries to practice!"

Tamsin immediately appeared from around the corner. "Take a pill, Kenz, I'm right here!"

Lauren held the door open for the others and then activated the security system before she followed them into the garage.

"Let's take the mustang! If we're going to a party, we should take the party mobile!"

"You got it Kenz!" Bo unlocked the convertible and Lauren took a deep breath to prepare herself for the terrifying – and arousing – adrenaline rush she always got from Bo recklessly driving the muscle car.

When they finally arrived at the Light compound's formal ballroom, the four women just gaped in awe as they entered the completely transformed space. Gone was the stuffy formal décor; instead the ballroom resembled an enormous pub. A small ensemble on the stage was playing raucous Celtic music and at the other end of the ballroom was an enormous full service cash bar with every type of liquor imaginable and a boatload of beer kegs stacked along one wall. Multiple tables filled with a huge selection of complementary finger food lined another wall. The remainder of the room was filled with tables and chairs, a dance floor and a cluster of pool tables and other pub games. Huge banners adorned the wall with phrases such as 'La Shoshain 2013' and 'Rejoice and Make Merry!'

Kenzi was alarmed to see so many people milling about dancing, playing pool or nibbling on the refreshments. "Oh shit, did it start already?"

"No, we're fine, Kenz." Bo tried to reassure her unusually high-strung BFF. "It hasn't officially started – the bar isn't open yet. They don't break out the booze until the Ash finishes his welcome speech."

"Oh ok, cool. Make sure you guys get a table down front!" Kenzi and Tamsin rushed off to the tables of food without another word.

"I guess we have our marching orders." Lauren chuckled and held out her arm for Bo to take. "We better go claim a table before they're all taken."

Once Bo and Lauren made their way to the front of the ballroom, they were pleasantly surprised to see Dyson and Trick had already grabbed a table.

"Hey guys! Thanks for staking out a good spot!" Bo greeted cheerfully as she and Lauren sat down.

"It is so cool what they did with the place! It looks nothing like it was at the inauguration!" said Lauren excitedly.

"Yeah, I know! I was afraid when Hale decided to move the celebration from the Dal to the ballroom that it would just be a mood killer, but this is awesome!" Bo gushed.

"He wanted to have room for a bigger crowd since La Shoshain is all about goodwill and togetherness." Trick explained.

"Gee, and here I thought it was all about drunken debauchery!"

Everyone looked up to see Tamsin and Kenzi weighted down with arm-loads of food and a pitcher of water and some cups.

"Touché Little T, I've taught you well." Kenzi intoned sagely.

"Damn Kenz, that's quite an appetite for such a tiny body." Dyson teased.

"Hey! Give me some credit! We brought enough for everyone. And it took major skills to carry all this through the crowd without it ending up on the floor."

"Thanks you guys, it was very thoughtful of you," said Lauren with genuine appreciation.

"You're very welcome." Kenzi grinned broadly. "Sorry we'll have to make due with water until the bar opens. But there's probably going to be a stampede so it might be awhile before we get the good stuff."

"Hey Kenz, didn't you want to go see Hale before it gets started?" Bo asked.

"Huh? Oh, right. I better go find him." She stuffed a mini quiche in her mouth and ran off to find her boyfriend.

Lauren sighed wistfully as she watched Kenzi leave. "I wonder how long it's going to take before those two can be open about their relationship. I mean, they don't hide it, but the Fae think she's just his little girl toy."

"Yeah, it kinda sucks," agreed Bo. "I'm sure most of them think the same thing about us, even though you're unclaimed. But I know things will change eventually, and we'll have Hale to thank for it. But for now what's important is _we_ know who we are and what we mean to each other." Bo put her arm around Lauren's shoulders and affectionately kissed her on the cheek.

"I think Hale has been doing an excellent job pushing the Fae towards progress." Trick then lowered his voice. "It's not public knowledge yet, but Hale has been getting prepared to start releasing the claimed humans that are wards of the government."

"That's awesome!" exclaimed Bo.

"In fact, he just told me yesterday that he wants to create a new advisory position for human affairs, sort of a human liaison to the Ash. Someone that humans feel safe to talk to about their issues and needs. And of course he's going to tap Kenzi for the job. But don't say anything to her yet. I don't know how long Hale needs to get everything together before he can talk to her about it."

"That is so cool!" Tamsin said with a wide-eyed grin. She'd always been annoyed that the Fae didn't give her friend/mother-figure the respect she deserved.

"Wow. I am absolutely amazed at how bold he's being after such a short time in office! He's hell-bent on doing what's right and not putting up with any excuses. It's really inspiring." Lauren couldn't contain her excitement.

"You know, creating a position for Kenzi is actually a wise move," said Dyson. "Not only is the position needed, but it will help to start building her a public image other than just his plaything. She's not going to get more respect right away, but it should make a difference in the long run."

Lauren smiled at Dyson's words of support. It was refreshing to hear him speak of a human as deserving equal respect among the Fae. He had come a long way since she first met him.

"Ohmigod you guys! Hale's on his way out!" Kenzi appeared out of nowhere and sat down in a rush.

"That was fast!" Bo remarked with a smirk.

"Wasn't much time except for a good-luck kiss!" Kenzi said giddily.

Suddenly the music stopped and a booming voice came over the loud speaker. "Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please. Please be seated for the opening ceremony, which will begin momentarily. Thank you."

Within a few minutes most of the party goers had found a seat and the band on stage started playing a more dignified tune as the Senior Elder of the Light Fae approached the podium. Kenzi and Tamsin did little to hide their annoyed boredom as they sat through the recitation of an ancient Fae invocation and the performance of a traditional Fae anthem that Trick and Dyson and half the ballroom sang along with. Finally, Hale walked up to the podium as the crowd applauded and Kenzi suddenly perked up with rapt attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by wishing everyone a most merry La Shoshain! As the Ash of the Light Fae, it is my honor to be hosting today's sacred celebration. Thank you all for coming out today to enjoy this new, larger venue, especially those from the Dark Fae who have joined us in good faith despite it being in Light territory. In the true spirit of La Shoshain, we are all in neutral territory today!"

Hale's closest friends grinned in admiration as the mixed crowd of Fae applauded enthusiastically in response to the Ash's declaration.

"I know you're all eager to officially start the merrymaking, but before we kick off the festivities, and while everyone is still sober, I have an important announcement to make."

The crowd snickered at Hale's little joke and a particularly boisterous Fae in the back yelled out a loud "Woo hoooo!"

"My fellow Fae, there is a hero who walks among us. It's not in her nature to seek the spotlight, but chances are you already know her, and some may even be aware of her heroic deeds; and yet she has never received the official recognition she so richly deserves. It is my pleasure to right that wrong today."

Lauren beamed proudly at Bo, her heart swelling with happiness because her love was being so honored.

"Her strength and resolve are matched only by her compassion, which drives her to fight for the greater good of all Fae, regardless of species or clan. She is selfless and dedicated beyond measure. She has never hesitated to come to the aid of those in need, whether it is an individual Fae or our entire race. If not for her loyalty, tenacity, and cunning bravery, Isaac Taft would still be butchering our Fae brothers and sisters, and the Garuda's reign of terror would never have been stopped before all of Faedom perished."

Lauren assumed by now it was fairly obvious to Bo that she was the one being honored, so Lauren clasped Bo's hand and smiled adoringly at her love, who looked back in surprised anticipation.

"So it is on this sacred day of unity, when the barriers that divide us are torn down, that we finally honor our unsung hero. She is staunchly unaligned, yet also a close friend and trusted advisor. But most remarkably, she is _unclaimed_. One of the Fae's most noble champions is in fact, human: my Chief Medical Officer and Director of Research, Dr. Lauren Lewis."

Lauren froze like the proverbial deer-in-the-headlights as a huge cheer erupted from her friends and family, including a cluster of tables behind them filled with Lauren's medical staff. Sandra, the feisty nurse from Bo's donor team, shrieked at the top of her lungs, "Woo Hooo! Way to go, Doctor!" A low murmur of surprise and discomfort rumbled through the rest of the crowd, but it was easily drowned out by Lauren's personal cheerleaders.

As Lauren continued to gape at Hale in utter shock, Bo leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Gotcha!" Lauren turned toward Bo and opened and closed her mouth several times, but the words wouldn't come. Bo kissed Lauren gently to snap her out of her daze. "Soak it up, baby. This is your moment!"

"Dr. Lewis first crossed paths with the Fae in the Congo seven years ago, when a mysterious disease attacked one of our oldest indigenous colonies. It was virulent and deadly, and our doctors were helpless to stop it. Had it made its way into the general Fae population it surely would have been the plague that ended us all. But Dr. Lewis was determined to help, despite discovering that her patients weren't human. With her unmatched brilliance and perseverance, she single-handedly contained and annihilated a deadly plague, and saved countless Fae lives in the process.

"When the Garuda awoke to resume laying waste to all of Faedom, once again Dr. Lewis accomplished the impossible. She worked tirelessly day and night to achieve what had never been done before: she discovered how to preserve the venom of a deceased Naga, the slain former Ash Lachlan. Naga venom is the _only_ known weapon that can kill a Garuda, so Dr. Lewis not only ensured Lachlan's sacrifice was not in vain, but the viable venom she produced saved us all from one of the most deadly foes known to Fae.

"And just six months ago, when a horrific mass grave of Fae was uncovered, despite the diligence of our best detectives, there were absolutely no leads, nearly bringing the investigation to a grinding halt. But it was Dr. Lewis who found the madman behind the atrocity. She was no longer in service to the Fae at that time, but as soon as she discovered what Taft was doing she immediately informed us and helped us form a plan of attack. The intel she provided and her inside assistance during the raid were instrumental in destroying Taft and his evil operation and freeing the surviving Fae that were imprisoned in his compound.

"So during the last seven years, the very _survival_ of our race has been threatened three times. And each time, Dr. Lewis has been there to defend the Fae at all costs, whether it was in her own best interest or not. She has provided the finest medical care for countless Fae patients, from Elders to prisoners and everyone in between. She has never failed to perform above and beyond the call of duty, and she has always served with the utmost compassion and dignity – even though, as a former ward of the Ash, she never received the same in return. The Fae owe Dr. Lewis an immeasurable debt of gratitude. And now that she has returned to the Fae of her own free will, we are honored to have the opportunity to return that gratitude and give her the due compassion, respect, and dignity that she has always given to her patients and to all Fae. Dr. Lewis, would you come up to the stage please?"

Throughout Hale's speech, Lauren's shock had gradually thawed, and by the time he asked her to join him on stage, a fluttering sensation of warmth radiated from the center of her chest, infusing her with pride and peaceful confidence. "Go on up, sweetie. Own it baby!" Bo urged supportively.

As Lauren made her way to the stage, her personal cheering section exploded in applause. But more remarkably, the sound of tentative clapping began to slowly spread among the rest of the crowd as the more progressive Fae in the audience finally found their courage to express their approval.

When Lauren joined him on stage, Hale stepped away from the microphone to shake her hand. "Hey, girl – surprise!" Lauren blushed profusely, but her radiant smile assured him that she wasn't embarrassed or upset. Hale guided her to stand next to him as he returned to the podium and gestured for the crowd to hold their applause.

Hale picked up an elegantly embossed leather portfolio and a handsome wooden wall plaque that were resting on top of the podium, and turned toward Lauren. "Dr. Lewis, by this joint proclamation signed by the Ash and the Morrigan, it is our pleasure to bestow upon you the honorary title, Friend of the Fae."

He opened the portfolio to reveal a mounted sheet of printed parchment, and then handed it to Lauren, who stared at it with wide eyes. He turned to face the audience again. "Let it be known that Dr. Lauren Lewis shall henceforth enjoy the due respect, rights, privileges, and social standing _equal_ to that of all free Fae citizens!"

The crowd responded with a low rolling tide of surprised murmurs and gasps as they tried to wrap their heads around the concept of a human with equal social standing. But once again Lauren's friends and family drowned them out.

Next, Hale presented Lauren with the ornately carved wooden plaque with her name and new title emblazoned in gold. "Dr. Lewis, we are deeply honored that you have chosen to return to the Fae; may we always strive to remain worthy of your decision."

Once again Lauren's fan club burst out in applause and their enthusiasm slowly spread to the rest of the crowd. Hale leaned in and spoke softly to his friend, "I know this was the last thing you were expecting, but would you like to say a few words? No pressure, though."

Lauren's face was flushed and her eyes were watery, but she felt grounded and strong. She looked out at the crowd of Fae, and though there were many who didn't look pleased at all, they were in the minority – and that was a sign of progress as far as she was concerned. Lauren looked at Hale and nodded. He smiled broadly and moved away from the podium so she could take his place at the microphone. He gestured to the crowd again to hold their applause.

"Since this is a total surprise to me, I have no prepared speech to bore you with, so I'll be brief. To the Ash and the Morrigan, I am simply overwhelmed and gratified by this gesture. It's something I never imagined receiving, and I am deeply touched. It means more to me than you could ever know." Lauren paused briefly to collect her thoughts and take a deep breath to calm the manic butterflies in her stomach.

"Finally finding peace and happiness among the Fae was a long, arduous, and often confusing journey. But in the end I was faced with a simple truth; home isn't a place. It's people. Home is friends and family. So I would like to thank those who are near and dear to my heart: my entire lab and medical staff, with a special shout out to my elite trauma team, you know who you are; my amazing Fae family: Trick, Dyson, Tamsin and Hale, otherwise known as the Ash, who've welcomed me with open arms and always have my back; Kenzi, my honorary sister and fellow Fae-loving human…"

She took one look at Bo's beautiful, radiant face, and Lauren's happy eyes came close to overflowing and a lump arose in her throat. She knew it was finally time to publically break down the last Fae closet door, shaky voice be damned. _Go big or go home_.

"…and my beloved _wife_, Bo Dennis, who is my heart, my strength, and my greatest joy. Thank you all so, so much."

Lauren's friends and family jumped to their feet, cheering and clapping ecstatically. Moderate applause spread through the crowd again, and then Lauren watched an amazing thing happen. Little by little, random Fae all over the ballroom started joining the standing ovation until roughly half of the room was on their feet, and the majority of those still sitting were clapping respectfully.

Hale grinned affectionately at Lauren and leaned into the microphone. "Merry La Shoshain, everybody! The bar is now open!" The band immediately started playing again and a herd of stampeding Fae rushed to the back of the ballroom and began barking drink orders at the overwhelmed bartenders.

"Hale, would you mind holding these for a minute?" Lauren held out her portfolio and plaque, and he graciously took them with a smile. Then she turned and ran to her wife as fast as her feet could carry her, while Bo ran to meet her halfway. Lauren joyously collided with her wife, who lifted her up off the floor and spun her around as they both giggled and exchanged I love yous. When they finally came to a stop, Bo and Lauren lost themselves in the depths of passionate kisses.

As everyone affectionately watched their favorite couple, Tamsin nudged Kenzi in the arm. "Five bucks says they sneak off for a quickie within the next two hours."

"Ten bucks says they sneak off in the next forty-five minutes!"

"You're on."

When Hale joined his friends at their table, Kenzi jumped up to meet him and to ogle Lauren's plaque and proclamation. "Wow. Friend of the Fae! We should totally put that on a t-shirt! Hey Hotpants, now you'll have to change your official signature to Dr. Lauren Lewis, FF." she giggled and excitedly passed around the plaque and portfolio for the others to see.

Hale embraced her from behind and whispered in her ear. "You'll be next baby, I promise. I'm still working on it." Kenzi turned in his arms and instantly changed from a giddy teenager to a young woman in love. She stroked Hale's face as she gazed at him with adoration.

"I know you are baby. As long as _you_ know I love you, I don't care about anyone else. I'm so proud of you! I love you, Hale." They met in a sweet lingering kiss as they continued to hold each other tightly.

"Love you too, li'l mama."

Once the two couples pried themselves apart, everyone took turns giving Lauren a congratulatory hug. They eventually all sat back down at their table to enjoy each other's company while they waited for the mob at the bar to thin out.

"I can't believe you guys faked me out like that!" Lauren playfully swatted Kenzi's arm.

"Oh, but the look on your face was so worth it!" Bo snickered.

"And how in the _hell_ did you get the Morrigan to sign this? Is this for real?" Lauren asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Oh it's not just a signature," Hale said proudly. "I got her blood oath."

"You've got to be shitting me."

"It's amazing what one can accomplish with an amoral Mesmer, an iPhone, and a little blackmail between friends!"

Everyone turned toward the very distinctive voice, and there stood Vex, wearing a studded dog collar, a leather harness across his bare chest, skin-tight black latex pants, and a self-satisfied smirk. He was flanked by two cater waiters holding frosty mugs and two pitchers of beer.

"Vex!" Kenzi exclaimed happily. "How'd you get the beer so fast?"

"Please! I can clear a path through any crowd. Mesmer, remember?" Vex turned his attention to Lauren. "And look at you, in your brand new big girl panties! In light of your recently revealed marital status, consider them a belated wedding gift." he said with a wicked grin.

"You never fail to surprise me, Vex. But thanks. Thank you very, very much. For the Morrigan's oath and for the beer." Lauren smiled genuinely. "By the way, where is the Morrigan? Did she show up?"

"Oh, she's lurking around somewhere. But for once in her life she didn't seek the spotlight. Poor dear, all through the Ash Hat's speech she looked like she'd been weaned on a pickle. But she'll be good as new once she gets pissed."

"That's British for drunk." Kenzi explained to Tamsin.

"So have a seat and join us for some beer, Vex!" Bo insisted jovially.

"No thanks, lovey. I would never touch that cheap swill. And my outfit is far too fabulous to be hanging around you boring lot. Ta ta!" Vex winked, turned with a flourish, and sashayed back into the crowd.

Lauren smirked and shook her head. "And that, my friends, was _not_ surprising!" Everyone chuckled in agreement and started passing around mugs of beer.

"You know, just a few years ago he slaughtered three children as punishment for a Fae and human mixed marriage. And now, by blackmailing the Morrigan, he just made ours legal!" Bo snorted and rolled her eyes at the absurdity.

"Never try to understand Vex logic, BoBo." Kenzi teased. "It's a total waste of time, and likely to lead to catastrophic brain injury."

About twenty minutes later, as Bo finished her first mug of beer, she noticed that her elated wife had become quietly pensive for the past few minutes, oblivious to the boisterous and animated conversations around their table. She reached for Lauren's hand and gave it a loving squeeze. "What's going on in that big brain of yours, sweetie?"

Lauren snapped out of her reverie and gave Bo a reassuring smile. "I was just thinking that now is the right time to talk to you about something, but not here. Could we get out of here for a little while and go over to the lab? It should be deserted because of the holiday."

"Ok, you've piqued my curiosity. Should I be worried?"

"No sweetie, it's nothing bad, I promise."

"Ok baby. You know I'd follow you anywhere." She winked flirtatiously and stood up from the table. "Hey guys, we're going to go take a walk for a while."

"We'll be back later for more drinks. Don't get too wasted without us!" Lauren waved back at her friends as she took Bo's hand again and headed for the door.

Misinterpreting her friends' hasty exit, Kenzi turned to Tamsin and triumphantly held out her hand. The young Valkerie sighed in exasperation as she begrudgingly handed her friend ten dollars.

* * *

"So what's going on, Lo?" asked Bo as she and her wife strolled hand in hand across the compound's courtyard.

Lauren smiled mysteriously. "I'll explain when we get to my office. Besides, I want to show you something."

Bo chuckled good-naturedly. "Ok babe, it's your show."

"So when did Hale tell you guys that he was doing this?"

"It's only been a couple days. Kenzi and I thought we were going to burst trying to act natural around you!"

"Well you obviously did a good job! I was so blindsided it felt like getting my freedom all over again."

"In a way you did. Now you are free _and_ equal. You've got Fae law on your side now. Nobody can look down on you anymore – because if they try, you're tall enough now to look them straight in the eye, metaphorically speaking."

"I think I underestimated the importance of Fae equality – I thought all that mattered was being free. But now that I've chosen to live my life among the Fae, equality means more than ever. I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to acknowledge you as my wife in front of all of those Fae. I know I still pissed off a lot of them, but I felt safe doing it!"

"It gave me goose bumps when you called me your wife. I'm so proud of you, and proud of what we have, I want to shout it from the rooftops!"

Lauren gave Bo a sweet peck on the lips. "If you really want to, my key card gives me access to the roof." Lauren chuckled and swiped said key card to open the door to the medical research wing of the hospital.

"Be careful what you offer babe, I just might take you up on it." Bo smirked playfully as she held the door open for her wife.

After a walk through the lobby and a trip up an elevator, Lauren unlocked the door to her lab and ushered Bo inside. Next, Lauren unlocked her office, and then unlocked the deep lower drawer of a large metal storage cabinet. Bo watched curiously as Lauren dug through an impressive pile of scientific journals, and finally uncovered a portable fireproof security safe about the size of a file box. She heaved it onto her desk and keyed in the combination to the electronic lock. Lauren opened it and Bo saw that it was full of file folders and thick binders. Lauren rummaged around in the bottom and pulled out a couple of thumb drives and several DVD-ROMs.

"So what's all this, sweetie?"

"Taft's research."

Bo's eyes opened wide in surprise – and a little fear, if she was honest. "I thought it was destroyed."

"It was, but not before I copied everything. Nearly all of it was salvaged and I've been working on reverse-engineering the missing parts. I also smuggled out most of Taft's tissue samples. It's true, this information is dangerous and I have some serious ethical conflicts that I'm finding hard to reconcile. But this is the key, Bo. It's the miracle I've been looking for, the miracle to give me a Fae lifespan – to actually _be_ Fae."

"Holy shit." Bo studied her wife's face. "You're serious. This is really possible?"

"It's incredibly complex and involves many steps and it's a long term process. It's so far ahead of its time it's scary. If I were to use this research, most Fae would consider it an abomination. But now…I'm still physically inferior in their eyes, but I'm no longer socially inferior. And it just got me thinking – I'm one step closer to where I want to be, I just need to work on the science. That's why I suddenly wanted to tell you now – and because I knew the lab would be empty today. Up until this point it was mostly a theoretical exercise. But now that I'm considering the real possibilities, you have a right to know exactly what we're dealing with."

There were so many different emotions vying for Bo's attention, she felt completely lost trying to process what Lauren was telling her. "Is there any way you can explain the process in laymen's terms?"

"Ok, um…it requires the combination of several different techniques, each one complicated in its own right. The end result is basically a type of gene therapy, which includes gene splicing and stem cell transplant. Gene splicing is combining two different species of DNA to create a hybrid. Its main application today is hybrid GMO foods. Some of the genes from each species are removed and what's left over is combined to create a new organism. Those kinds of 'half-and-half' hybrids are what Taft wanted to create, starting with himself. Are you with me so far?"

Bo nodded cautiously.

"Taft had already done research on creating a normal Fae – which is what I want to be – but eventually he was more interested in the hybrids because it would speed up evolution as each hybrid generation reproduces and the gene pool continues to diversify. Evolution is basically hybrids begetting more hybrids, whereas when a pure human and a pure Fae reproduce, you just get another human, keeping the evolutionary branches separate. How mixed parents end up with normal human offspring is a whole other complicated subject that's beside the point."

"Yeah, I don't need any extra stuff to process so let's stick to what's relevant. So you don't want to be a half-and-half hybrid, because some of you gets lost? You want to become Fae but with all of yourself intact, right?"

"Right. And since I don't want to be a hybrid, the splicing has to be done differently, and it's a more complex process. Have you heard how humans and chimps actually share most of the same DNA?"

"Yeah, I think I must have seen that on the Discovery Channel or something."

"Well, Fae and humans are the same way. Most of the Fae's DNA is like humans, with that little something extra that makes them Fae.

"So you need to strip off the 'little something extra' and leave the rest of the donor DNA behind? And attach the 'something extra' together with your DNA which is still in one piece?"

"That's right. And as far as global consequences go, by transforming humans into the pure Fae version of _themselves _instead of hybrids, all that really happens is the Fae population increases, but evolution-wise humans and Fae stay on their separate tracks."

"So I get the DNA splicing, I think. So what's the gene therapy part? "

"The way to isolate the 'something extra' from the donor is a modified gene therapy technique. Gene therapy is when a specific gene is introduced into a cell via an engineered virus. The virus is just an empty container that the genes are packaged in so it can invade a cell and replicate, just like the common cold. Right now mainstream science has only been able to replace one single gene at a time so it's been used experimentally to treat diseases that are caused by a single dysfunctional gene, like hemophilia or cystic fibrosis. What is revolutionary is Taft found a way to replace entire clusters of genes, not just one."

"So are those clusters of genes the Fae part?"

"It's actually the other way around. Instead of _adding_ a piece of Fae DNA to my intact genes, you strip off the human-like genes from the donor Fae, and _replace_ them with my complete set of genes. It sounds like just a difference in semantics, but it's a different process that produces a more stable bond. So the splicing is the combining of DNA, whereas the gene therapy technique is how you get the right pieces you need, and how to get them into the cell where they can combine. And the cell you're going to use is a modified stem cell from the donor.

"You can't use your gene therapy virus package thing to go directly into your own stem cells?"

"No. That's why there is a difference between _replacing_ the human-like Fae DNA with mine as opposed to _adding_ Fae genes to mine. You start with a Fae donor stem cell and get rid of the human-like genes and swap them out for my genes, but the pure Fae genes don't go anywhere, which is why it all starts with a donor stem cell instead of one of mine.

"So you're doing all this to donor cells that have already been taken out of the donor? So the donor isn't harmed because no strange DNA goes in their body?"

"Right, all that stuff is done in the lab. You have to take the donor stem cells out of the body because you have to remove some of the genes first to make room for mine."

"Ok, so now what happens with those donor stem cells that have been filled with the new spliced DNA?"

"That's the stem cell transplant part. Those modified donor stem cells get injected into me. They travel to the bone marrow where they take root and replicate."

"And what are stem cells for anyway?"

"Stem cells are cells that have the ability to transform into any kind of specialized cell. They are like blank slates, building blocks that the body uses to create whatever kind of cell it needs. Bone marrow is the primary source of stem cells. So we need to get these new building block cells into my body. Are you still with me?"

"I think so. So, you use gene therapy to chop up the donor DNA in the stem cell, and empty out the part you don't need, then use your virus thingie to send your DNA into the half-empty cell where they get spliced together. Then the modified donor stem cells are injected into you and they go to your bone marrow and reproduce and then eventually they get turned into whatever special cells the body needs."

"Right, you got it. And if it stopped there, your body would use those replicated cells bit by bit whenever it needed new cells, since cells are replicating and dying all the time. But it would take a long time waiting for every cell in your body to be replaced. That takes years to happen naturally. And it would go so slowly that the new stem cells wouldn't keep up and just get overrun by the larger population of 'normal' stem cells. But there's still one last magic ingredient which is the most amazing part!" Lauren said excitedly.

"Which is?"

"Regardless of what kind of Fae you're creating, in order for a complete systemic transformation to occur, you need two enzymes from a mature succubus. When you take in fresh chi, two enzymes are released that when combined set off a massive chain reaction that allows you to quickly repair yourself after an injury. The Fae transformation would spread through my body similar to the way your healing does, although it will take a lot longer. One enzyme goes into my bone marrow where it's inert and doesn't do anything. The other enzyme gets chemically bonded with the donor stem cells, and when the two enzymes meet, Bam! The transformation would be nearly complete in about a month, but it will take a few years to make my body completely stop making the old kind of stem cells, which is why there has to be multiple transplants."

"Wow. Just…just wow!"

"_You_ are the magic ingredient Bo. Taft figured it out by experimenting on your mother."

"Holy shit."

"Pretty mind-blowing, huh? And trust me, that was the _simple_ explanation."

"Baby, how dangerous is this?"

"I won't lie, there's a lot of risk, and I can't exactly test this on a bunch of humans before I get it right. The biggest danger is what happens to the integrity of the body during transformation while it is made up of two different sets of DNA at the same time."

"God Lauren, _PLEASE_ – don't risk your life when all you have to go on is blind faith! I'd never be able to live with myself if something goes wrong! The despair would kill me!"

"It's not exactly _blind_ faith, Bo. But as extra insurance I have the additional task of developing a treatment that will immediately neutralize the enzymes and arrest the chain reaction if something starts to go wrong. But according to Taft's research, since the new cells would still have my complete set of DNA, all systems should remain functioning and the Fae part of me would remain dormant until the transformation is complete. But I can't completely replicate and verify his results since I'm not willing to endanger a bunch of people to do it. Right now my own research is at the petri dish level, and so far I've replicated the final successful results from Taft's experiments, so that's a good sign. Eventually I'll move on to small mammals, like rats paired with their nearest related Underfae equivalent."

Bo became pensive for a few moments as she tried to digest the possible consequences. "Do you have any idea how long it will take till you're ready to try this on yourself? Because if this takes years and years and still doesn't work, it could be too late for you to have children, and I know you would be crushed if you missed that opportunity."

"I think it's going to take me another year or two before I'm ready to use the treatment on myself. But if it takes longer and my biological clock starts to run out, then we'll have human children, even though I hate the idea of you watching your own children age and die."

"As heartbreaking as that would be, I would still cherish every second of your lives, no matter how long or short that might be." Bo stroked Lauren's cheek and kissed her tenderly.

"I know you will baby. And we'll face that reality if and when the time comes. But let's not go there yet, because I still think our chances are good."

"Ok, sweetie. Deal." Bo smiled warmly and gave Lauren an affectionate peck on the lips.

"But I've hit a bit of a snag because I've run out of the succubus enzymes and my collection of Fae DNA is running low. And if I get blood and tissue samples from you, I still have to try to replicate the process that isolates and extracts the enzymes."

"So you need my enzymes as well as DNA samples to keep experimenting? Sweetie, all of this scares me a little, but I'll give you whatever you need to continue your research."

"Thank you Bo. I know this is a major leap of faith for you and I don't take it lightly. However, when it's finally time to start my transformation, I'll still need your enzymes, but using your stem cells might not be the best choice."

"Gee, should I be offended?" Bo chuckled. "So why not?"

"If I became a succubus, we would both still have to feed off others because otherwise we would just be trading the same chi back and forth and we could never be fully nourished at the same time. Also, if we get far enough along to really do this, we have got to keep it secret for as long as possible – and I'd be outed if I were ever caught feeding. Not all Fae species have to feed off humans exclusively, some are adapted to be able to survive on regular food as an alternative; so if I were a non-human-feeding species I could fly under the radar until it became obvious that I wasn't aging. But then we could just explain that away as if I just discovered an anti-aging treatment that has nothing to do with being Fae. The only risk of discovery would be from Fae that have the ability to sniff out other Fae, like Dyson. There's also the issue of children."

"You wouldn't be able to have kids if I donated stem cells? I would never want to deprive you of that."

"No, I could still get pregnant it's a matter of when." Bo just looked at her questioningly. "Bo, I know you've used condoms in the past, but I can't believe that during all those years you've managed to use one every single time. Of course, you would never have gotten an STD because the chi heals you. But don't you think it's interesting that you've never gotten pregnant?"

"Umm…I'm just lucky?" Lauren raised an eyebrow, telling Bo she should know better. "Ok, if I can't get pregnant how do succubi reproduce?"

"Oh you can get pregnant alright. But I ran into a very interesting fact about succubi in one of Trick's books, and he confirmed it based on his personal experience with your grandmother. Succubi go through a five year period of fertility every thirty years. So you won't ovulate until thirty years after your powers emerge. Yours started when you were eighteen, so you won't be fertile until you're forty-eight years old. If I became a succubus I don't know if my ovulation would be thirty years after I became Fae, or thirty years after I hit puberty as a human. Either way it would be a long wait to start a family. Of course when you're looking at a lifetime spanning millennia there would be plenty of time for kids, but…I guess I'm just impatient." She smiled self-deprecatingly.

"Holy shit – I won't ovulate for another eighteen years? Then why the hell do I have to put up with a goddamn period every month?"

"Oh, poor baby!" Lauren giggled. "Bo, your periods barely last two days and it's just a little spotting. That's why I went looking into Trick's books. You aren't ovulating but your womb still has to regularly shed its lining just for general maintenance, there just isn't that much of it. Just wait till you become fertile, then you'll know what a real period is like!"

"You know, I never thought of this before – but is there such a thing as a Fae sperm bank? Or are we gonna have to ask someone we know? Because that's a whole other world of awkward."

"Actually, there is. It's in Scotland. But we are still a long way from dealing with that."

"Ok so back to your Faeness. If you get stem cells from someone other than me, how much are you going to need?"

"Well that's another sticky issue. The transformation will probably be fairly complete after a month, although it will take six months before we can verify that the aging process has been arrested. But since it's not permanent at first, it's going to take three to four regular infusions per year over a two to four year period before the transformation is permanent. Of course these are just tentative estimations, but that is still a major commitment to ask of a donor, and on top of that, bone marrow extraction is pretty painful."

"So we have to find a non-human-feeding Fae who is supportive and won't expose us for breaking the laws of nature _and_ who is willing to submit to painful procedures for several years. That should be easy!"

"Well…we do have one possible candidate."

"Are you serious?"

"Hale."

"You're kidding."

"He doesn't have to feed on humans, his DNA is closer to human than you are, and he may be more sympathetic to our cause because of Kenzi. If their relationship continues on its current trajectory, their desire to increase her lifespan might be enough motivation for him to consider something so deeply controversial. But we'll also have the extra challenge of finding willing medical assistants. At the very least I need a nurse who can set up the IV for my infusions, but it would be safer if I had a dedicated anesthesiologist for the bone marrow extraction." Lauren paused and sighed heavily. "And there's one more thing."

"Well that sounds ominous. What is it sweetie?"

"Bo, now that I see an end in sight, I want this more than anything. I want it so bad I can taste it. But…" Lauren frowned sadly as she contemplated the implications.

"But…?"

"Bo, if I use Taft's research, doesn't that make me a monster too?" Lauren asked in a small voice.

"What? Baby no, don't say that!" Bo pulled her suddenly anxious wife into a comforting hug. "You could never be a monster."

Lauren felt protected by Bo's tight embrace, giving her the courage to voice her disturbing fears. "Taft's motivation was sick and twisted but he basically wanted the same thing I do – to transform, to change our DNA. He wanted a new world order and I just want to be with the woman I love, but the means are the same. Bo, this research, this incredible knowledge, is soaked in the blood of countless innocent Fae. How can I even _think_ about benefitting from such a horrific atrocity? What does that make me?"

Bo rubbed her wife's back soothingly and kissed her hair. "It just makes you someone who wants to be with the woman you love. No more, no less." Bo pulled back slightly so she could look into Lauren's vulnerable eyes. "You said it yourself, the difference is the motivation. Taft wanted to create generations of hybrids to forcibly change the natural order of human evolution. But turning humans into normal Fae keeps the evolution tracks separate. For someone to just jump the evolutionary fence in the name of love is pretty inconsequential in comparison."

"So you think if my intensions are good it's ok to use information with blood on it? I mean, I know it's possible for some good things to eventually arise from tragedy – we are living here in a modern society because the native North Americans were invaded and slaughtered. But don't we have to consider whether it's a fair trade or not? The real question is whether the ends justify the means – and that is a slippery slope."

"True…but that question is only useful had it been considered _before_ Taft started down his road to hell – and if he had been sane, of course. But in this case the horrible 'means' is done and over with. Those innocent Fae aren't coming back. All that's left is _information_, and if you use it, you aren't going to kill anyone else. Isn't there a saying about knowledge isn't good or bad, it's what you do with it that matters?

"That's a valid way of looking at it, I suppose. But it's also a favorite justification used by intellectual freedom advocates who support putting bomb recipes on the Internet." Lauren snarked.

"Well… that information might be really useful for teaching people how to _diffuse_ bombs." Bo smirked flirtatiously and Lauren just rolled her eyes, conceding the point but still not sure she was convinced.

"Look Lo, how the information came to be is horrible, but _not_ using it for something good doesn't make the atrocity go away, it just makes their deaths even more pointless. And using it _doesn't_ mean you're saying the atrocity was good and justified either."

"But that's what's bothering me, that benefitting from the slaughter means I'm a bad person for trivializing their deaths – that I'm condoning what happened because I'm getting something out of it."

"You mean you're afraid that it would _seem_ like you're condoning it. But you're _not_. You know what kind of person you are. You know as well as I do that if you could've prevented their deaths – even if it meant you could never become Fae – then you would've done it. So what's really going on here is you're afraid that using the research is a symbolic gesture that suggests that it was ok that these people died horribly, right?"

"Yes, of course!"

"So in the grand scheme of things, what do you think is more important – real, tangible consequences or symbolic consequences?"

Lauren just stared at Bo with a stony face. Bo could almost literally see the cogs turning as Lauren wrestled with the question. She opened her mouth to say something a couple of times, but the words escaped her. She sighed heavily and finally threw her hands up in exasperation. "Shit. I never thought I'd see the day when _you_ made _my_ brain hurt!"

"Wow, score one for the succubus! Look sweetie, I think the real question is, which type of reasoning are you going to use? Emotional or logical? You need to decide which one you can live with. And because it's such a gray area, I don't think there's only one right answer. But whichever you choose, I will support you all the way, and if necessary, defend you from anyone who tries to give you shit about it."

"So I'm not a sick ghoul for wanting to do this?"

"Of course not! Unfortunately there will be people who will think that if the secret gets out, so we have to be prepared for that. But I don't think for a second that it makes you a bad person to want to take this knowledge that has fallen into your lap and do something wonderful with it. And sweetie, let me point out: truly bad people never ask themselves if they're bad, because they just wouldn't care. So if you're asking, then you can't be a bad person."

Lauren sighed, shook her head, and looked at Bo in wonder. "God Bo, how do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Bo asked with an amused smile.

"I'm supposed to be the rational scientist, but whenever I get lost in a storm of confusing emotions, you manage to sort them out and make sense of it for me."

Bo chuckled. "Ironic isn't it? Bo Dennis being logical." She smiled self-deprecatingly. "I guess I'm just highly motivated whenever I see you in pain, no matter what kind it is." Bo gently stroked her wife's cheek and kissed her tenderly. "So you're feeling better about this?"

Lauren nodded as she felt the emotional tension start to melt away. "Much."

"So where do we go from here?"

A confident smile slowly spread across Lauren's face. "Go big or go home, baby!" She playfully grabbed Bo's leather jacket and pulled her in for a demanding kiss full of passion and promise.

"Mmm…Ok, so let's get your Fae on, baby! Do you want me to give you a blood sample while we're here?"

"Thanks for the offer sweetie, but we need to do it when there's no alcohol in your system."

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Speaking of alcohol, we've been away from the boozefest for quite a while. We should probably get back to our friends."

"Yeah, they probably think we ran off to have sex in a broom closet or something."

* * *

"Careful Bo, watch her head." Lauren held the kitchen side door open as Bo gingerly walked through, carrying a passed out Valkyrie in her arms.

"I can't believe she got totally wasted this early!" Bo muttered.

"I know!" Lauren shut the door and quickly deactivated the security alarm. "Do you have any idea how much alcohol it takes to knock out a Valkyrie? If she had a liver it would be pickled by now. We should have paid more attention to how fast she was knocking 'em back."

"Yeah, you're right. We don't need her becoming an alcoholic before she makes it to her first birthday. Old Tamsin was such a sad and nasty drunk I'd hate for her to go down that road again."

Lauren followed Bo as she took Tamsin into her room and laid her down on the bed. Bo knelt down to remove Tamsin's boots. "I guess this is good practice for when we're dealing with rebellious teenagers, huh?" She winked at her wife as Lauren worked on getting Tamsin out of her shirt.

"Nope. Our kids will inherit too many nerd genes to ever get in trouble!" said Lauren with a cheeky grin.

"Says the woman who was high on weed during her freshman anatomy final!" teased Bo. "Lo, if you get her jeans off I'll go get some water and aspirin to leave on the nightstand."

"You might want to bring one of the larger trash cans in here too. Valkyries have a strong constitution, but if she has to hurl, it would be nice to save the carpet."

"You got it, babe."

Once Lauren had Tamsin stripped down to her camisole and underwear, she gently covered her with the comforter and studied her face for a moment. Lauren found it hard to believe that this serene young woman was once her supposed rival, whose tortured soul was full of bitter regret. Lauren truly hoped that Tamsin would finally find love in her last life.

Bo returned with a bottle of water, two aspirin, and a trashcan to put by the bed. She noticed that her wife seemed lost in thought. "Everything ok babe?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah sweetie I'm fine. I was just thinking about Tamsin's new life. She was so angry and miserable before, I really hope she can find happiness this time around."

"I think the odds are in her favor this time." Bo smiled fondly. "She's surrounded by friends who care about her, she has a stable home, and since she's chosen to be unaligned, she won't be indoctrinated into all that Light and Dark Fae clan rivalry bullshit. I'm actually pretty proud of her for that."

"And you should be proud of yourself for being a positive role model." Lauren smiled affectionately as she turned out the light and led Bo out of the bedroom.

"So…" Bo grinned mischievously as she stopped Lauren in the middle of the hallway and pulled her into a loose embrace. "Kenzi is staying with Hale, Tamsin is unconscious, we have the house to ourselves and the night is young. Whatever shall we do to pass the time?" She batted her eyelashes coquettishly.

"Oh, I don't know, I'm sure we'll find something to do…upstairs." Lauren grinned wickedly as she gripped Bo's ass firmly and pulled her wife in tight to her body. Lauren devoured Bo's lips, running her tongue over them before plunging inside. Bo took hold of Lauren's tongue and sucked firmly, causing her wife to emit a long, low moan.

"Yes…upstairs." Bo gave Lauren's lips a final, sensual lick and then backed away, beckoning her wife to follow her to their bedroom.

As soon as they closed the bedroom door behind them, Bo said, "Give me a few minutes, babe. Nature's calling."

"You mean your last two beers are calling!" Lauren snickered, as she started to take off her shoes.

"Ha, ha. Do you need to go?"

"No, I went before we left. It's all yours, sweetie. And don't even _think_ about coming out of that bathroom with any clothes on!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Lauren dimmed the lights slightly and peeled off the rest of her clothes. She climbed into bed and stared up at the fabric draped on the overhead cross beams that connected the huge bedposts. The enormous antique bed had been one of the few pieces of furniture that was salvaged from the clubhouse. It was too unique and had too many wonderful memories to just leave it behind.

She sat up again as she looked through the sheer fabric that was hanging down near the foot of the bed. A sly smile spread across her face as she quickly got up and pulled back the bed curtains and tied them off at the bed posts. She returned to the bed and sat up in the middle, with her back resting on the enormous headboard.

"Hey sweetie, do you want candles?" Bo asked as she emerged from the bathroom.

Lauren gave her wife a long appreciative look as she admired her graceful nude body. "You can if you want, but I want to keep the lights on. How about some incense?"

"Wanna keep the lights on huh?" Bo smirked. "I would never say no to getting a better look at that heavenly body of yours." She walked to the long lowboy dresser that faced the bed where there was a ceramic platter with various candles and incense burners. As she was about to light the incense, she looked up at the dresser's large mirror and saw Lauren staring back at her from the center of the bed. That's when she realized that Lauren had tied back the curtain sheers. "Hey sexy. That's quite a lovely view." Bo said with a saucy smile.

Lauren grinned as she brought her knees up, resting the soles of her feet on the mattress – and giving Bo a pleasantly surprising eyeful. "Best seat in the house, baby." Lauren patted the mattress between her thighs. "Now come sit."

Bo's smile grew into a lecherous leer as she stalked toward her wife and climbed into bed, sitting between Lauren's legs and settling back into her warm embrace. "Hey, baby." Bo turned her head to the side to join her wife in a long sensual kiss.

Lauren opened her legs wider to give Bo more room and to give her own heated flesh more contact. "Scoot back a little more, babe." Lauren gently whispered in Bo's ear. With a tiny giggle Bo complied, wriggling her ass until she was pressed tightly against her wife's body. She groaned happily as she felt Lauren's breasts, abs, and mons rubbing against her naked back and ass. Lauren rested her chin on Bo's shoulder and rubbed gentle circles over her tummy. "Have I told you how much I love this bed?" She sighed wistfully.

"You better love it." Bo chuckled. "After having it disassembled, moved, refinished, and reassembled it must be the most expensive used bed in history."

"Are you kidding? Designers kill for stuff like this! It was well worth it." Lauren began placing feather light kisses up and down Bo's neck.

Bo closed her eyes and sighed happily as Lauren's lips teased her neck and shoulder. "Considering that we carved our names into the back, I don't think we made the investment for its resale value!" Lauren ran her fingers through Bo's silky hair, lightly massaging her scalp and gently sucked on her earlobe. "Lo, baby you feel so good…mmm."

Lauren ran her hands slowly back and forth over Bo's shoulders and down her arms. "You have the most amazing skin. And you know what I love most about it?"

"Hmmm?"

"It covers your whole body!"

Bo giggled playfully and brought her hand up to guide Lauren's face to her for another deep kiss. "You are adorkable."

Lauren guided Bo to lay her head back on her shoulder, and then used her fingertips to lightly stroke up and down Bo's throat and the sides of her neck and jaw. Bo gasped as little shivers rippled through her body.

"I love you, Bo. You make me so happy."

"I love you too, Lo." Bo gasped softly as Lauren stroked lower, dragging her fingers down over her collar bones, upper chest, and in to her cleavage. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me, baby."

Lauren guided Bo to lift an arm and rest her hand on the back of Lauren's head. Then she stroked up and down the underside of Bo's arm causing her to tremble and whimper as her wife teased the sensitive skin of her armpit. Lauren tapped Bo's other arm to encourage her to raise it up too. Lauren stroked both arms with the lightest feather touch, Bo's whimpers turned to moans as Lauren's fingertips glided over the sides of her breasts. Bo tipped her head back and closed her eyes, drowning in the delicious sensations of her wife's touch.

"Baby, open your eyes. Look in the mirror." Bo forced her eyes open and looked beyond the foot of the bed to the dresser mirror. She was unprepared for the eroticism of seeing her own body with her arms raised and her back arched, her breasts thrust out begging for attention.

"Oh, god."

"Look at how beautiful you are. You're breathtaking, Bo." Lauren resumed her torturous stroking over the outsides of Bo's breasts and continuing down the sides of her torso and moving languidly over her stomach. Bo inhaled sharply when her wife barely touched the underside of her breasts at the same time Lauren wetly kissed her neck and blew cooling air over it.

"Oh, baby how do you do these things to me?" Bo's hips involuntarily started to undulate almost imperceptibly as her body cried out for more friction.

"By loving you, that's how." Lauren stroked down Bo's thighs. She gently pressed on Bo's inner thighs to encourage her to open her legs. "Open wide baby. Bend your knees for me." Bo complied and brought her knees up and placed the bottoms of her feet on the mattress. "That's it. Here, sweetie, hook your feet over my legs." Bo opened her legs wider so she could place her feet on the outside of Lauren's legs, effectively bracing her in position with her pussy unashamedly exposed.

Bo was having difficulty keeping her eyes open as she was overwhelmed by the sensory experience of Lauren's hands and fingers and the relentless throbbing between her legs. "Keep looking in the mirror, baby." Bo struggled to open her eyes and then groaned deeply as she took in the carnal image in the mirror.

"God, you're gorgeous." Lauren whispered, and then traced the rim of her wife's ear with the tip of her tongue. Bo turned her head to capture Lauren's mouth in a toe-curling kiss as she started drawing lazy circles on Bo's inner thighs.

Bo broke the kiss as she started to pant. She turned back to the mirror and was utterly mesmerized by the sight. As Bo continued to rock her hips, she felt Lauren returning the small thrusts as the sensation of her wife's wet heat rhythmically pressed against her ass.

"Are you getting wet for me, Bo?" Lauren asked, as she continued to stroke closer and closer to Bo's inflamed pussy, but never close enough to give her any relief.

"Oooh…uhhn…Oh god, yes."

"Watching you is making me so wet Bo." Lauren spoke breathily into Bo's ear. "Baby, you feel so good against my pussy." Lauren gave Bo a long lick up her neck, causing her to cry out helplessly. "But I'm not going to touch you where you want until you've made a puddle on the sheet and you're begging me to come. The longer you can hold out, the better it will be, I promise." Lauren resumed kissing Bo's neck and gently licked and sucked at the junction of her neck and shoulder.

Bo couldn't believe what was coming out of Lauren's mouth. It was setting her flesh on fire just hearing her voice. "Please, baby. Please keep talking! You're driving me insane!"

"As long as you keep looking in the mirror, love. I want you to watch yourself come undone. It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen and I want to share it with you."

"Ok, ok I will baby! Just keep talking to me!" Bo pleaded breathlessly.

Lauren began fondling Bo's breasts, circling around her nipples but never touching them. "So you like the dirty talk, huh?"

"Oh yes baby, that is so hot! More, talk to me more…uuhhhnn!" Bo arched her back even more, her nipples begging to be touched.

"Oh Bo, your nipples look so hard!" Lauren took Bo's earlobe in her mouth and sucked gently. "I love the way your breasts feel in my hands. So soft and full. Are your nipples throbbing, Bo? Do you wish I would touch them?"

"Yes! Please! I'm aching for you!" Bo cried helplessly.

"I love your beautiful breasts so much baby." Lauren continued to stroke and squeeze Bo's breasts, cupping them in her hands to feel their full weight. "They always taste so good in my mouth. I love making you moan when I suck on your nipples. Too bad my mouth can't reach them now. I bet they're hard as rocks." Lauren licked one of her fingers and used the wet digit to barely graze over the tip of one of Bo's nipples, eliciting an undignified yelp and a sharp hip thrust.

"Please do that again! Oh god I can't stand it!" Bo begged.

Lauren teased the other nipple before suddenly grabbing them both and tugging on them.

"AHHHH! More! Please harder! Oh shit…" Bo gasped.

Lauren pinched harder and tugged in an alternating rhythm. "You like that baby? Don't you wish it was my mouth on you, biting and sucking you so hard?"

"YES!" Bo continued to pant helplessly and her hips thrust desperately at the air, the merciless hot throb in her clit making her legs quake.

Lauren inhaled deeply through her nose. "Oh god, Bo. I can smell how much you need me. You smell absolutely delicious! Too bad I can't lick your hot pussy right now. Wouldn't you like that? For me to lick and suck your clit until you explode in my mouth? You always taste so good when you come." Lauren roughly grabbed at Bo's breasts, aggressively massaging them and pulling on her nipples. Bo closed her eyes and thrust her breasts out even farther as she moaned incoherently. "Keep looking in the mirror, Bo. I can see how wet you are from here. You look so fucking hot! I love watching you squirm. Your clit must be pounding so hard! Is it Bo? Is your clit throbbing? Don't you wish I could suck it for you? Would you like that, baby? Want me to lick your pussy clean?"

"PLEASE! Baby I need to come! Oh god I'm gonna come so hard. Please touch me!"

"Hmm…I don't know if you're dripping enough yet. I guess I better check." Lauren reached down and slid a single finger back and forth between Bo's slippery lips but avoiding her clit. Bo released a strangled moan as she thrust her hips trying to get more contact, but Lauren always moved her finger out of the way before she could get the much needed friction on her clit.

Lauren brought her wet finger to her mouth and slowly sucked Bo's slick arousal off of it. "Oh baby you taste so good. Would you like a taste?" Bo's only response was to nod her head and grunt as she continued to grind against the air. Lauren scooped up another fingerful of hot wetness and offered it to Bo, who greedily took it in her mouth, sucking and licking as both women moaned at the sensation.

When Bo released her finger, Lauren dove into her wife's mouth for a scorching kiss as they both moaned and grunted as their tongues danced together.

"Ok baby, you've been so good, so sexy hot that I'm going to give you a reward. You want me to make you come, make you come all over my hand?"

"Yes, yes! Oh god, Lauren I'm burning up for you!"

"Oh baby, your pussy's on fire? Aching so hard and only I can relieve you?"

Bo was starting to come apart at the seams. She whimpered loudly and nodded her head vigorously, desperate for release.

"Keep your eyes open and look at the mirror Bo. If you close your eyes I'll stop."

"Ok, ok! I'm watching! Oh _god_!" She stared at herself in the mirror, writhing helplessly. Just looking at her own weeping pussy sent another wave of wetness pouring over her glistening lips.

Lauren used all her fingers to lightly stroke over Bo's inflamed pussy, just barely grazing over her wife's wiry hair while she used her other hand to pinch and tease a nipple. Bo released another helpless cry as she violently bucked her hips. "_PLEASE_! Please baby! Oh god, stop teasing!"

Both Lauren and Bo were transfixed by the image of their own quivering lust looking back at them from the mirror. Bo's intensely blue eyes were glowing and her mouth hung open as she panted hard. "Are you going to explode for me baby? When I touch your clit are you going to come undone and scream my name?"

"Yes, yes! Please Lauren! I love you so much! Please make me come!" Bo begged desperately.

Lauren finally took pity on her wife and slid two fingers through Bo's sopping pussy and rubbed steady circles around her hard, engorged clit.

"_AHHHHHHHHHH_!" Bo shrieked as the fire in her clit surged. "Oh god, oh god, _FASTER!_ Please faster, baby!"

"Keep your eyes open baby! Watch me make you come!" Bo stared at the mirror as Lauren's fingers rubbed her clit so fast that her wife's hand was a mere blur. With a screaming crescendo, Bo was launched into the stratosphere, her legs shaking violently as her hands held on to her wife's legs for dear life.

"_LAURENNNNNN! UUHHNNNN…GAAAH! Oh __**FUCK**__!"_

Lauren was awestruck as she watched Bo's explosive release. "Oh god, Bo! You're so beautiful!" Lauren gently stroked Bo's clit slower and slower as she rode out her orgasm. "Baby, you feel so good on my fingers!" She slowly licked Bo's ear. "So hot and slick!"

Bo groaned incoherently in response. Lauren was still lightly stroking her clit and she felt the fire start to flare again.

"Hey baby, you want to feel my lips and tongue on you? Want me to finally lick you clean?"

Bo nodded her head and moaned out a strangled "Uh-huh!"

"Ok sweetie, we need to move."

Bo moaned and straightened her legs, then simply rolled over Lauren's leg and collapsed at her side. Lauren scooted away from the headboard so she could lie down. "How tired are you baby? Can you get up and sit on my face so I can feel you drip all over me?"

"Holy _fuck_ Lauren! Where the hell did that dirty mouth come from? You've been holding out on me! Holy shit, do you have some secret past working for a phone sex line? Oh my god that was so fucking hot, baby!"

Lauren giggled as Bo slowly sat up and crawled toward her shoulders. "I don't know Bo, I even surprised myself. I swear sometimes I think your succubus has hijacked my libido! But I'm certainly not complaining. Now get your sweet pussy over here!"

Bo carefully straddled Lauren's face and groaned when she felt her wife's strong hands take hold of her ass to guide her in position as she braced her hands against the tall headboard.

"It's ok Bo, I got you. Don't worry about me, just enjoy the ride. I love you."

"Oh baby I love you so – AAHH! Oh god!" Lauren didn't waste any time teasing Bo, instead she coaxed her wife's hips closer and plunged her tongue in as deep as possible. Lauren raised her head slightly and firmly pushed her face into Bo's pussy, as hot slick liquid lust dripped over her cheeks and chin and the bridge of her nose pressed into her wife's clit. Bo let loose a long, high-pitched moan as Lauren's tongue entered her several times in rapid succession. Lauren groaned deeply as her senses were overpowered by the smell, taste, and tactile sensations of her wife's aroused body. Before she took a break for air she moved her entire face in circles, smearing Bo's intoxicating wetness all over her.

"Oh FUCK Bo! God I can't get enough of you! I need to put my head down, ok? Go ahead and bear down and ride my face! Let me have all of you!"

"Are…you…sure? I…don't… want to… smother you!" Bo was panting so hard she could barely string a sentence together.

"You let me worry about that, I'll be fine. Come on baby, I'm so thirsty for you!"

"Oh god." With a loud whimper, Bo pressed herself into Lauren's face, who began to devour her wet, heated flesh. Bo couldn't hold back the urge to thrust any longer, and started bucking her hips, riding her wife's tongue and face with reckless abandon.

Lauren was so overcome with ravenous lust that she was groaning as much as Bo, the vibrations of her voice buzzing teasingly over Bo's throbbing lips and clit. Lauren finally moved her tongue up to Bo's clit which moved her nose forward so she could breathe. She swirled the tip of her tongue on her wife's clit causing Bo to wail and buck her hips harder. Without warning Lauren squeezed Bo's ass cheeks firmly and sucked hard on her clit. Lauren felt Bo's ass and thighs tense up so tight that her hips stopped thrusting and the strength of her muscle contraction made her quiver as she hovered just over the edge of oblivion. Lauren released her suction and rapidly fluttered her tongue over Bo's clit, finally sending Bo crashing down, screaming helplessly, no longer able to hold up her own weight. But her wife was there with strong loving arms to hold her up. Bo collapsed into the headboard, her forearms and forehead pressed heavily into the wood for support. She was hyperventilating and shaking as her wife lazily licked her clean.

"Holy shit baby, you are incredible!" Bo gasped sharply as Lauren's gentle licking set off an aftershock. "Oh god!"

"I lrf moo!"

Bo chuckled at Lauren's attempt to speak while muffled by her …uh, muff. "I love you too babe." Bo carefully dismounted from her precarious position and flopped down beside her wife. Lauren rolled to face her, but before she could say anything, Bo grabbed her wife and pulled her on top of her, holding her tight and kissing her deeply. Bo rubbed Lauren's back and ass firmly as if she couldn't get Lauren close enough, couldn't get enough skin contact, couldn't get enough Lauren. Bo's need for release had been sated, but now she hungered desperately for this woman she loved so dearly.

"Oh Lauren, I love you so much baby!" Bo frantically kissed and licked Lauren's cheeks and chin, groaning as she tasted her juices clinging to her wife's face.

"I love you to babe, god you're so hot! And absolutely delicious!"

Bo rolled them so she was on top and pressed her thigh between Lauren's legs. Lauren groaned deeply from the contact.

"Does that feel good baby? You must be ready to pop! I need you so bad Lauren! Can I have you? Can you let me take what I want, ravish your body and let me make you come so hard?"

"Holy shit Bo, now who's talking dirty? I've been ready to explode ever since I started touching you! Go ahead and take me, take everything you want!"

Bo's eyes flashed brightly as she dove into Lauren's neck, licking and kissing urgently and then stopped to suck on her pulse point. Lauren whimpered at the sensation and she thought she actually heard Bo growl. The hungry succubus had come out to play.

Bo kissed down Lauren's collarbones savoring the fresh salty taste of her wife's flushed skin. Bo ravenously pulled a breast into her mouth, opening as wide as she could and sucking hard as she reveled in the helpless cries of pleasure coming from her wife. She switched breasts and Lauren grabbed Bo's head and held it tightly to her, becoming drunk from the overwhelming sensation of being so desperately devoured by her love. "Oh god, yes Bo! Harder!"

Bo was delirious with lust as she nibbled and sucked harder on Lauren's breast. Bo reached down under her wife's thigh and pulled, urging her to bend her knee to give her more leverage to grind against Bo's thigh. Bo aggressively rubbed the underside of Lauren's raised thigh and suddenly veered to the side to slide her fingers through Lauren's dripping pussy lips, causing her whimpering wife to buck her hips and moan helplessly.

"Baby you're so hot and wet for me! I 'm gonna eat you up, make you come so hard! Are you gonna come hard for me?"

"God _YES!_ Please Bo!"

Bo licked her wife's nipple one more time, then pulled her mouth off of Lauren's breast and replaced it with her hand as she inched her way down Lauren's body, urgently kissing, licking, and nibbling on her oversensitive skin. Lauren was writhing and bucking her hips involuntarily but Bo held her down and took her time as she tried to sate her hunger for her wife's trembling body.

With a needy, lust-filled growl, Bo dove into Lauren's pussy as her wife howled her ecstasy. Her hungry succubus was utterly consuming her and she happily surrendered her body to Bo's carnal appetites.

A deep, guttural groan poured from Bo's throat as she greedily licked and sucked every inch of engorged flesh she could reach. She used her fingers to gently pull back the hood of her wife's clit and rhythmically pressed the tip of her tongue into the newly exposed flesh. Lauren squealed and clamped her hand down on Bo's head as she pressed her famished succubus harder into her throbbing pussy. The pressure of a steadily building inferno inside Lauren's clit threatened to swallow her whole, and she knew she wouldn't last much longer. Lauren suddenly shrieked when Bo roughly latched on to her clit and sucked hard.

Bo quickly released Lauren's clit from the suction and went back to licking and nibbling. Lauren felt the tidal wave cresting as her legs started to shake. She pressed the back of Bo's head even harder as she silently begged for completion. Her other hand held a wad of sheet in a white-knuckle grip. In the dark depths of her haze, Lauren felt Bo's fingers stroking her hand that held the sheet. As her orgasm finally hit the tipping point, Bo and Lauren urgently joined hands and held on tight to carry each other through the storm raging through Lauren's body.

No sooner had Lauren started to scream out in orgasmic ecstasy, a new sensation started to build deep inside her. The pressure pulsed and throbbed, growing larger and more demanding; for a moment she thought Bo had entered her as she felt another growing pressure on her g-spot. Her orgasm peaked, but before it had receded, another emerged to carry her away. Lauren totally lost control of her body as wave after wave crashed and she was _still_ coming. This had never happened before and the rolling orgasm lasted so long she had to stop her screaming twice just to take a breath. Tears started to leak from the corner of Lauren's eyes as the pressure from deep within her exploded like a supernova and she felt herself expel a forceful gush of fluid as her strangled cries finally began to wane.

As Lauren lay there quivering like a melting puddle of jello, sparks of pleasure continuing to ripple through her, she heard what sounded like laughter. Yes, that was definitely it. Bo's head was resting on her thigh and she was laughing hysterically.

"Oh my god I can't believe it!" Bo struggled to speak, even as her laughter calmed down to a fit of girlish giggles. "I can't _fucking_ believe it! I always wondered about that!"

"Bo, Bo what's so funny?" Lauren desperately gasped for breath. She was so utterly spent she couldn't even lift her head to look at Bo. "And my god what the hell did you do to me? I must have been coming for thirty seconds straight! And you made me squirt! I felt the pressure on my g-spot but you weren't inside me were you?"

Bo slowly sat up and crawled up the bed so she could look at her wife. "Nope, I wasn't."

Lauren turned her head to look at Bo and she gasped in shock. "Bo! Your eyes!"

"What is it?"

"They're glowing white!" She gasped as the recognition hit her. "I haven't seen them do that since that time we overdid it at the Bacchus club."

Bo laughed heartily again. "I guess that makes sense." Bo flopped down on her back and stared at the ceiling and giggled. She felt utterly intoxicated.

"Bo, what the hell happened?"

Bo turned to her concerned wife, with a grin the size of Texas. "You, my sexy hot doctor, are going to love writing this down in one of your fancy medical journals. I just discovered something that I don't think you'll find in any of Trick's books."

"Bo, what are you talking about?"

"Apparently, your mouth isn't the only part of your body I can feed from."

Lauren stared at Bo, utterly dumbfounded – her eyes as big as saucers and her mouth agape. They continued to hold each other's stare until the smallest beginnings of a smile shone in their eyes and then they finally exploded in shrill, belly-wrenching laughter.

"_Are you fucking SHITTING ME?_ Oh my fucking _GOD_!" Lauren rolled back and forth clutching her stomach as she convulsed and gasped with laughter, finally hiccupping and setting off more giggles.

"So what's with your eyes?" Lauren managed to squeak out.

"Oh damn baby, that's the best part! I guess by feeding like that, I'm getting your sexual energy straight from the source, and holy _FUCK_ is it concentrated! I still only took a human-sized serving, but dear god it's like chi heroin! That's gotta be two to three times more concentrated than the most potent chi I've _ever_ had! It might not last quite as long as a Fae proxy feed just because of the smaller amount – but _goddamn_ it's a hell of a lot more fun to feed on! Holy shit, Lauren. When you become Fae someday and I can take a full size hit, you're probably going to short out my entire central nervous system!"

Lauren was absolutely awestruck. "So what you're telling me is I am now doomed to spend an eternity regularly receiving bone-melting cunnilingus from a horny succubus high on chi crack?"

"Chi heroin. But yeah, life as you know it is over. Such a tragic burden."

They both burst into shrieks of laughter again, as they reached for each other and rolled back and forth in a tight embrace, their joy bubbling up through their kisses and playful laughter.

"You know, you better be careful and not blow your chi back into me down there or you might get me pregnant!" They squealed shrilly as they laughed at the absurdity. Every time they were about to calm down, one would look at the other and the laughter would start all over again. Gradually the laughter gave way to giggles, which gave way to small chuckles, which slowed to the point of dead silence as the two wives stared at each other in wide-eyed shock.

Bo was the first to break the silence. "Holy shit, could that really work?"

"I…I-I don't know! Nobody's ever been able to capture chi and study it. We don't know if it carries any genetic information or not. Shit, it couldn't be that easy, could it?"

"Well babe, when it's time to finally bring Ethan and Charlotte into the world, maybe we should give it a try just in case – before we spend the money on a trip to Scotland!"

"Oh, shit!" Lauren was helpless to contain her guffaw. "Ok baby, it's a deal. And until that day comes, let's just enjoy the fact that we now have a new feeding technique that all our friends _don't_ know about!"

"You mean you're not gonna go write a journal article about our sex life? And I was so looking forward to the lecture tour!"

"Shut up and kiss me, Bo. You still have extra chi to burn."

"And it only burns for you, my love. Only for you."

Bo and Lauren giggled softly and then tenderly joined their mouths together and drank deeply, slowly writhing and pressing their bodies tightly against each other as their loving murmurs and moans escalated. In a perfect moment suspended in time, their bodies passionately expressed their joy of knowing that their love was strong, their future bright, and they would never be without each other again. Finally, all was right in their world.

FIN

* * *

A/N: And there you have it folks. I hope you enjoyed some of the surprises! ;-) Thanks for coming along for the ride. I think it's safe to say I'm going to continue with this writing thing. I'm thinking that my next project will be a series of one-shots, so check back in the next week or two, or put me on your follow list. And have a Happy Halloween! :-)


	37. A Note from the Author

Hello readers of _Make It Right_,

I just wanted to thank you again for reading my story and I've enjoyed all your comments. One of the themes of _Make It Right_ was about Bo &amp; Lauren figuring out how to be sexually monogamous despite Bo's succubus nature. The goal was to have them work this out without resorting to changing Lauren's biology, (in this case the possibility of her becoming Fae was put off till the epilogue.) But surprisingly, I have never seen this done before in a fanfic.

So I have a favor to ask. If any of you come across a story that tackles the monogamy issue while Lauren remains fully human and Bo remains a succubus, I would love to read it! So leave a comment or send me a private message. Thanks! :-)

And here's a shameless plug - I've started a series of short stories called _Hack This Doccubus Scene_. If you like my writing, come for a visit and read &amp; review.

It's been a new and fun experience for my writing to have an audience other than myself. Thanks again, everybody!

TeamLauren4eva :-)


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